Joe Kent, a former United States Army warrant officer and a former Central Intelligence Agency paramilitary officer (green badge), who served as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center from 2025 to 2026, is facing some heat. I have nothing bad to say about the man. He served eleven combat tours, primarily in Iraq with US Special Forces. He served with “The Activity,” and he’s heroic. I don’t know what’s going on with him today. PTSD? Midlife crisis? Things have slipped somewhere. His late wife, Shannon (KIA), was a patriot, a decorated U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer and cryptologic technician who was killed in a suicide bombing in Manbij, Syria, on January 16, 2019. She was a mother of two, a cancer survivor, and a highly skilled operator who served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. I understand that his current wife, Heather (married in 2023), is a communist.
Bullet Points:
** Jasmine Crocket lost her Senate race, her bodyguard lost a shootout with police, and she broke a nail. What’s her next move? Replace Jessica Tarlov on The Five (Fox News)?
** BRM talks about what it’s like to be knocked up…
** For those of you who are keeping track, Ramadan has ended. This Ramadan will be remembered in the Gulf for the war: air strike alerts, the limits on gathering in mosques, and the canceled iftars. How would the Gulf states have fared through more than two weeks of constant bombardment from Iranian missiles and drones without their highly effective air defenses? How will the booms of intercepts that now punctuate days in Gulf cities leave an imprint on those living through this period?
** Question of the Day – Do you prefer onion rings or French fries as a side when you eat a hamburger? (right) Or do you go with a heart-healthy salad option (covered in Ranch dressing)?
** The Supreme Court in Rowan v. Post Office (1970) said, “The right to be left alone is one of the most cherished rights known to man. No one has the right to press even a good idea on an unwilling recipient. Frisby v. Schultz in 1988. The Court said targeted picketing — showing up at someone’s home, their unavoidable space — can be restricted. Because a captive audience has rights, too. The Court called it the captive audience doctrine. If you cannot leave, you cannot be forced to receive. In Hill v. Colorado (2000), the Court upheld buffer zones — spaces where people trying to enter a location cannot be cornered into confrontation. The reasoning? You should not have to abandon your right to be somewhere just to escape someone else’s speech.
** Weekends: In the Gulf, it’s Thursday-Friday. In Pakistan, it’s Friday-Saturday.
** U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum moved swiftly to quash speculation that Washington could restrict energy exports, issuing coordinated statements reaffirming that no such policy is under consideration—even as the Middle East crisis sends shockwaves through global energy markets. “Thanks to President Trump, the United States is the world’s top oil and natural gas producer. We are also the largest natural gas exporter and a top oil exporter,” both officials said in identical posts. “To be clear, the Trump administration has no plan to implement restrictions on oil and gas exports.”
** VDH on the EuroZone and Iran
** Iran’s retaliation against the United States and Israel has included attacks on countries across the Middle East—even those that have been relatively friendly with the regime. Tehran has also set its sights beyond military targets to oil infrastructure, hotels, and airports. This “escalate to de-escalate” strategy is meant to pressure Washington into ending the war. But it’s likely to backfire. By bombarding friend and foe alike, Iran will emerge from this conflict poorer, weaker, and more isolated, depending on how the government changes – if it changes. Ulitmately it will be up to the Persians to decide.
** She needed a hug. The world is not always the way the mainstream media paints it.
In Vietnam
(h/t Claudio) Link – There is no love for the People’s Republic of China (human termites) beyond that mirror where they preen and admire themselves. There are growing concerns in Southeast Asia about crude oil supply. The situation has prompted Vietnam to ask Japan for oil from its reserves.
Vietnam’s state-run media say Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki on Tuesday in the capital Hanoi. The prime minister referred to the situation in the Middle East during the meeting and said it’s affecting crude supplies. He said that he had sent a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae requesting assistance.
Chinh reportedly asked the ambassador to make a portion of the oil reserves Japan is releasing available to Vietnam as well. Tokyo has started releasing around 80 million barrels. Most of the crude oil imported by Vietnam comes from the Middle East. The country has already seen impacts from the conflict in Iran, with some gas stations temporarily halting sales. Vietnam has also requested assistance from South Korea and Thailand to secure crude oil and jet fuel.
Identify the Boat
Which class of U-Boat – big hints
1
2
3
4
All 3 are the same class
End
Joe Kent – I’m reminded about the verse that talks about good morals and bad company. I was also reminded of several people who started acting in a bizarre fashion, only to have a later diagnosis of a brain tumor. In this case, only time will tell.
Onion rings versus fries – the Runza restaurant chain offers Frings, which feature both.
Oil – how is Australia getting along? Would they be hit by the same crunch as Vietnam…with the added green energy pipe dream being chased by the politicians?
RCC or MikeW might be better able to answer for Australia regarding oil than I can.
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Joe Kent – it could be a number of things. He needs to check himself into Walter Reed for the same workup that Sen. Fetterman had.
RCC would be better placed to comment than me. He is still there, whereas I have been overseas for the several months.
Joe Kent needs to stay the hell away from Bethesda.
I don’t know what the Fetterman treatment was, but Kent would get the Forrestal treatment:
After psychiatric confinement, Kent will commit suicide by tying the sash of his bathrobe around his own neck and then jumping out of a 16th story window. All this after copying out some lines of a poem in a hand not his own.
Joe should have kept his mouth shut, checked himself in, taken the work-up and whatever treatment and checked himself out and THEN decide about his future. Today, he doesn’t have much of a future beyond the Army pension.
You might be on to something…only a psychotic type break could have him flip so badly…why else would he implode his entire former respectable career and current standing? Makes little sense, unless you view it from your scenario.
I find it interesting that “the weekend” in Pakistan is the same as in Israel
You’d think that the world could agree on the weekend – but no, not even that.
Middle East Weekend-Being a seconded employee of a major US energy company in Saudi Arabia, generally meant that “local weekends” were interrupted by calls from our US counterparts. Those thoughtless souls sitting in the bosom of normality had no regret in calling to make mundane requests that could have waited till Monday through Wednesday. Only when calls started originating from Saudi to the US on Saturday and Sunday for equally mundane information, did our “weekend” phone calls start to decrease.
Yes, and the timing of the call. 2 pm for you is 2 am for me.
Global energy markets; Any thoughts on the impact of the damages to the LNG facility in Qatar?
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WTP may be paying more at the pump, and shipping costs affect retail price increases, but gas and oil companies smiling at profits and employees thrive in another boom cycle.
I don’t have the specs on the damage that was done. I’ve heard mild to wild and there will be a fog of war surrounding that (possibly because they don’t want the mullahs to fire more missiles at it – it’s destroyed, don’t waste any more shots there…
Al (Gore) Jazerra has reported that Saudi Prince Faisal said any remaining trust between Riyadh and Tehran has collapsed and though he hopes Iran will “stop attacking their neighbors … I am doubtful they have that wisdom.” And why would they? United States foreign policy for half a century has been, “when the going gets tough, the tough can outlast us” so the beards probably think based on that history they just have to outlast us. This is gonna take some more convincing on their part, and I’m not smart enough to know what that looks like. It would, however, be nice if the Donks and their running dogs in the various media outlets weren’t on their side.
I’m not privy to the war plans, but Israel has no plans to stop.
Crockett could JOIN Tarlov on The Five, call it ‘The Five Point One’…because that’s how marginalized she has become. But it would be entertaining, especially once Gutfeld and Watters ‘respond’.
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Kent: While I applaud and greatly respect his military service for God and Country, the massive switch from wife #1 to wife #2 is telling…but who am I to judge a man’s personal life choices. What I do judge is his actions that undermine our President and nation. Not good optics. My advice to Joe Kent: Go fishing…which for men requires keeping one’s mouth shut.
Tucker likes to go to a dude ranch and fish in Montana. He should take Joe with him.
I am not defending Kent’s wife or choice, but I found this interesting:
Economic Times:
Beyond her writing, Kaiser is a visual artist with a background in military service who rejects the use of AI in her work, stating that “all of my artwork is original,” and in her website saying that she does “not now and never have used Artificial Intelligence (AI)” in any form.
She served nearly 11 years on active duty in the US Army, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, before leaving service in 2018.
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Kaiser earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2007 and later completed a Master of Art in Studio Art, with a focus on sculpture, in 2019 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
As to the matter of Joe Kent: It is never acceptable to try to embarrass your boss on the way out the door.
It’s not the “Joe Kent” that everyone knew. Which is why I suspect a medical or psych problem. Some like PTSD are difficult to treat. 11 combat tours… Ok, maybe he needs to move to a national forest where nobody else lives and blog…that sounds familiar.
I saw the picture and assumed those were calamari til I read they were onion rings.
Fries on the side, rings on the burger.
If a salad, then Balsamic Vinaigrette, but usually the tomato, lettuce, pickle, and onion satisfies.
I have had a salad with a hamburger, but I agree with you. These days, I often pass on the sides and just order a hamburger (with everything on it).
Me as well…if they have good rings then once in a while those go on the plate, otherwise it’s fries…but only if they are good fries. But NEVER broccoli.
3) is a Perla class.
Type VIIC U-410
I thought the question was class not type….
I like the fries at In-N-Out, I suspect because they make them fresh from whole potatoes.
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I don’t care for thick cut, heavily breaded onion rings. I do like the rings at Kincaid’s. I’ve mentioned them here before. I’m quite sure they make their Ranch dressing fresh every day, possibly from dry mix, but you can taste the difference. They grind their beef fresh everyday, and you can get your burger cooked to order.
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https://www.kincaidshamburgers.com/?page_id=78
Sometimes they go crazy with the salt at In-N-Out. But I like the fries. I like McDonald’s fries, but nothing else there except the Cokes.
The only thing I eat from McDonald’s is a double cheeseburger, no pickles (that way it’s fresh off the grill), and a medium fries.
Cheeseburger with Vidalia onion slices, baby spinach, spicy Gray Poupon, and ketchup on a sesame seeded bun. Just one onion ring on the side.
FYI: the county I live in produces 1/4 of all the onions produced in the US. There are more of the Granex variety of onion grown than all other varieties combined. The Vidalia and Texas Sweat are both Granex onions. I can’t drive 3 miles from the house without passing an onion field and I live in town.
Ah, a connaisseur.
I asked my waitress yesterday for some Gray Poupon as opposed to Texas or Yellow Mustard which they provide.
She had no idea what I was talking about.
Too young.
I still use it.
Me too, still good.
@Ed…next time drive up in your Rolls while nattily dressed.
Decades ago, local burger joints had hamburger baskets that had fries on the side, with one, or two, large onion rings as a bonus. It was the best of both tastes.
I like onion rings. Sometimes they’re better than the hamburger.
ID SUBS
1 TYPE VIIC (WW II)
2 TYPE UB-1 (WW I)
3 TYPE VIIC (U-410)
4 TYPE XXI
Excellent
News this morning – Chuck Norris died at age 86 in Hawaii.
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He and his brother Aaron used to own a bar called Woody’s Wharf on the water in Newport Beach, CA. I think Aaron did most of the running and was there for maybe half the week. I used to go by there every so often. Oysters on the half shell, watching the harbor and BSing.
The one thing Chuck couldn’t beat. But if I’m informed correctly, he will rise again.
Rest well sir.
Not so sure about that. He may be Beating up the Reaper on his way out.
Had a great run…good man. RIP Mr. Norris.
Ya know, Chuck wore a hat to protect the sun! (h/t younger brother for that one)
Onion rings —- are they food service or home made? We have great home made around the corner. Most of your west coast/mountain states fries come from right here in the Magic Valley. We have a couple local joints that do Fried mushrooms and cheese curds. my problem is that stuff upsets my stomach!
For some reason, cheese curds are popular. Those that I’ve tasted haven’t been very good.
Knocker uppers
Army drill sergeants. Very effective.
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Fries
Arby’s curly fries. Nothing else there appeals to me.
Asking for a pardon on my ignorance with the caption photo. Can someone fill me in?
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Mrs W. has me on a strict diet. The local burger joint hand cuts the fries, or option 2 is like an apple peeler type side of deep fried taters. I usually like to order onion rings as we both suck at battering them at home. This last date out…split the ultra burger, sencio, and we both left feeling fine and satisfied. The ” diet” is eat all the meat, fish and veggies we want. Minimal amounts of everything else. Pretty simple.
The GFW2 diet – of course.
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The Caption Photos are sometimes an artistic reach on my part. Hiding from the internal apocalypse. In this case, Joe Kent’s folly.
No comment on Kent. Re the burger choice(s), always fries unless I know the place and they actually make FRESH onion rings!
Generally, I much prefer onion rings, but I love me some fries from In
Sorry, fat fingers. In-n-Out. They have to be eaten within about 3-4 minutes or they become very pedestrian. There’s a cafe in Taylor, AZ called Trappers that has exceptional onion rings.
I’ve been to an operator confab called Trident Spectre a couple of times to demonstrate some covert comms technology that my company developed. I learned a few things:
1) Operators are very focused on going downrange, getting the operation done, and returning home safely. As a support to the mission, help them do all that. They will totally appreciate you for it.
2) Most operators drink a ton of coffee and dip snuff to stay mission ready.
3) Never set your soda can down in operator spaces. They will use it as a spittoon on the sly just to dick with you. They think that is hilarious.
Chaw is nasty. It can be used in moderation without a massive lipper, and without constant discharge (you can swallow the juice) – but that’s often not the preference. I have heard of Trappers but I have not been there. I’ll make a point of going next time I’m in the area and will report back on the blog.
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The last time I was in Snowflake, I had lunch at the greasy spoon at the golf course. The food was a C, but the wait staff was very nice.
Since I’ve stopped buying fast food, I like my own fries made at home. I like the outside of the potato (peel and some of the meat) while my wife likes the insides. I have a fry-press thingy. Key is to microwave the freshly cut fries in water for about 6 minutes to pre-cook them.
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I like onion rings, but have yet to successfully make them. Since wife has the dreaded Celiac’s Disease, gluten is out and though I’ve done an excellent job of workarounds for most things, batter for the onion rings is one of the few things that just don’t work.
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Eh, it is what it is.
I met a guy who lives in my area and has Celiac’s Disease – brutal. You must live your life with that condition in mind or the resulting situation is horrible.
Fortunately the options for gluten-free are far better now than 25 years ago.
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Still have to be careful. There are some meals where I can cook gluten-full for me and gluten-free for her. Others I just grin and bear it, though there are good pastas and good bread and cake mixes out there. Pamela’s Products are the best to start with, and Tinkyada noodles are better than most others.
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Eh, it’s the price we pay for living long.
Did you see the press conference with President Trump and the Japanese Prime Minister? Some Jap journalist tried to get Trump with, basically, “Why did you surprise the world with the bombing of Iran?” And Trump’s response was basically, “Like you did with Pearl Harbor?” And the Jap PM laughed. If she had been drinking it would have been a spit-take. Damn, I like her more every day.
Sanae Takaichi is awesome.
And she owns a third generation Supra, which Toyota graciously zero-timed for her.
That speaks volumes about her taste!
>Joe Kent
Your apologism is noted, respected, and societally required. But.
Despite what he was, he is now a scumbag. Your dog can be the best creation of God to date, but if he gets rabid you have to do what needs done.
We have bad cops because his buddies say he’s a good man…oh, sure, sometimes he gets his jollies on a citizen, but come on.
His peers should be the ones taking him down first.
Joe Kent “shot himself in the dick” and it was all his own doing. And he’ll vanish the way that so many other malevolent hectors have, sitting on the sidelines, bitterly upset that people didn’t accept their betrayal. His peers know him for what he was and is.