Number 4. K-Fox TV dot com. Feminist Governor of New York submits to Muslim men by displaying hijab.
In a sure signal that Governor Kathy Hochul, D-NY, stands firmly in support of the woman power she has always demonstrated, the chief executive of the state of New York once again donned the religiously significant scarf obscuring head and neck to show obeisance to swarthy Muslim men in her audience.
The occasion was an address the Guv delivered at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, less than two weeks before the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Photos of the event raised a minor ruckus on social media, with one with showing a picture of the flaming Twin Towers under the heading “New York forgot.”
I suppose it was to be expected that Kathy Hochul, operating from one pole of New York while Mayor Zohran Mamdani dominates the other, would show herself bowing to local custom when on the Mayor’s turf. The term “bi-polar” comes to mind here; if I noodle it long enough I could perhaps come up with a clever way to use that in a description of the political landscape there.
Certainly a devoted feminist who takes up the hijab in public illustrates an obvious disconnect between conflicting worldviews.
To be sure, this is by no means the first time Ms. Hochul has been accused of pandering. A year ago, she also wore the hijab at the funeral of a fallen NYPD Detective, a Muslim killed in a mass shooting event. In defense, she claimed the garment was an appropriate way to honor the bereaved family.
One wonders if the family would have been under-impressed if she had simply shown up in a dark business suit or formal dress, as she might have done for any slain officer of western descent.
In a completely unrelated event which is nonetheless on the same ideological continuum, the California State Assembly sent Governor Newsom a bill this week ordering the state to recognize Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, two of Islam’s annual holy days. Assembly Bill 2017, passed 64-1, would allow public schools to close on those occasions in proper recognition of the 1% of the California population that is Muslim.
An instructive article in the Washington Post from the last decade draws the distinction between Islam the religion and Islamism the politics. One is quiet and personal, the other loud and demanding.
Given the advantage that loud usually has over quiet, such a nuanced understanding becomes nothing more than an intellectual discussion point. It is a distinction without a difference. And as soon as a few thousand men begin showing up for public prayer to Allah in downtowns regularly in every major city of the USA, it will become an irresistible force.
To the Founders, freedom of religion meant that the U.S. would be neutral in regard to both Protestants and Catholics. It did not mean that the Constitution ought to allow the cultural erasure of either—or both.
Number 3. New York Post. Clintons advertise for intern who can keep a secret.
Well, this is rich.
One is hiring an intern for zero pay, the other a “special projects” assistant at a modest $50,000 per year. My uninformed midwest hick impression is that 50 large in New York City will cover little more than cab fare and sometimes lunch at a sidewalk food cart. Maybe not even that.
But the real news (for a foundation endowed with $300 million) is that the intern goes to Hillary while the assistant goes to Bill.
Online trolls suggest that the 42nd president “lost his intern privileges” in the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
I suppose an internship with the former First Lady, Secretary of State and presidential candidate could be considered compensation enough for any aspiring young politico. Hence the no-pay job.
Discretion, however, is a must for both Clinton-adjacent positions.
Yes. I’ll bet so. There may be lots and lots to be discreet about. Just ask Vince Foster and the other 50-some suicides among close Clinton friends and associates from the 1990s.
But that’s just a conspiracy theory.
Number 2. The Christian Post. Analyst challenges AI to discern which religion is most rational.
This unique article came my way… from someplace, don’t recall where… and shows an initiative with artificial intelligence I wish I had thought of.
The writer, a Jay Atkins, engaged an AI agent to render an evaluation as to which of five major religions was most reasonable. Which required the fewest leaps of faith? Mr. Atkins instructed the agent to consider Atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.
He submitted six questions, to be answered by each belief system:
1. Why does anything exist at all?
2. Why is the universe ordered and intelligible?
3. Why do humans possess consciousness and reason?
4. Are moral truths real or are they just social constructs?
5. Does human life have meaning or purpose?
6. Do the historical and fact claims of each belief system hold up?
The conclusion: Christianity “offers a comprehensive explanation” for each. Because it compresses all the possibilities of denial into a single episode—the resurrection of Jesus Christ—it demands the least intellectual gymnastics from the adherent.
Quote: “The most reasonable worldview is the one that explains the most while assuming the least. On that metric, Christianity wins.”
It brings to mind the Apostle’s jarring claim: “…If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins… If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
I found this exercise fairly fascinating and it made me wonder what other mysteries of the universe I could submit to ChatGPT for a simple answer.
As one Alligator correspondent advised me, however, when I showed him this: “Don’t worry. Now that the results show that Christianity wins, AI programmers will fix that error in the next software release.”
Number 1. The Guardian. Japanese muscle power recruited to move 400 ton castle.
Only in Japan.
The historic Hirosaki Castle, built in the 17th century, was damaged by an earthquake some fifteen years ago and required major reconstruction. The only way to come at the damage was to move the castle keep—a 360-ton structure of three stories—out of the way.
Work proceeded, apparently slowly. This month, repairs were complete and the building was to be put back in place. To be very traditional about it, nearly 2,000 citizens were invited to pull it an inch at a time, by hand, using ropes and pulleys. The keep itself was set upon a system of rollers to promote sliding across the ground.
Last week, the volunteer workers moved the entire thing—a giant tug of war—about five feet, roughly a quarter of the way to the final destination. It should be back in place and secure in another month.
I can just see the response of Americans to such a proposition. I expect engineers, if properly motivated, by, say, a sufficient cash prize—would come up with a mechanical solution involving large exposed gears suitable for public exhibition, loud diesel engines and giant tracked machines.
Then they would set up bleachers and sell tickets.
Donald Trump would organize a military flyover and host a UFC match, and maybe an Indy car race, on the side.
Come to think of it, maybe there is still time to lay on an event like this for the new Whitehouse ballroom in our 250th year!
And thanks for joining The Alligator News Roundup for Friday, September 4, 2026. Labor Day is upon us, which traditionally marks the end of hot and dry weather here in Kansas. Whatever projects you had hoped to accomplish this year are now on a short path. If, for example, you had planned to read through the Bible this year but hadn’t quite started yet, you are now about eight months behind schedule. However, with the right audio app, you might be able to finish at 1.75 speed. Listen fast!
Have a good weekend!
