Some King

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Anarchist Dems Are SO Lucky Trump Isn’t the Guy They Say He Is. “Things are so out of control that in Minneapolis that, if President Trump truly were the fascistic dictator that Democrats repeatedly say he is, there would be so many tanks rolling through there it would look like a snowbound Tiananmen Square. There would be no ‘ICE Watch’ citizen agitator patrols. All would be quiet in the streets of Minneapolis.”

No discrimination here in Maine, the feeding frenzy is open to all our third world brothers, including Rwanda Christians

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Taconic Road sale

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69 Taconic Road, whose fortunes I’ve detailed here previously, finally sold Friday for $4.2 million. The owners purchased it via bidding war, $1.750 on an ask of $1.595, on March 19, 2024 from JP Morgan, which itself had gained title from a defaulting dentist/borrower here in town.

The place was a wreck so the buyers got busy, did a quick rehab, and put it back up for sale August 7, 2024 at $4.750. They stubbornly refused to drop that price even in face of market indifference until May, 2025, when they reduced it to $4.550 million; that didn’t do the trick either, so they eventually (unfairly, is my guess) fired their agent, hired a new one, and dropped the price again, to $4.495. As noted, a buyer did eventually appear then and agreed to take it off their hands.

They could have done better, sooner, with a little bit more price flexibility.

Condition at foreclosure:

Back to square one

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Raj Rajaratnam’s house at 577 Rogues Hill has sold for $7.5 million to a buyer with a Miami Zip Code (33139). Raj paid $7.5 million for the place in May, 2000.

A couple of people I know who also know Raj insist that he got a raw deal when he was convicted of insider trading by a NYC jury in 2009 and sentenced to serve 9 1/2 years in federal prison. From what I’ve seen of New York juries, and what I remember from my studies of the law on insider trading — vague, undefined, selectively prosecuted — I can easily believe those friends. An interesting December 8, 2025 interview with the man can be found here.

Although it would possibly hasten the splintering of the country, here's a modest proposal (Updated)

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Nine cities. Why not expand on the DeSantis/Abbot model by formally accepting the self-proclaimed sanctuary status of these hotspots of concentrated compassion and offer “migrants” free transportation to self-deport themselves there permanently? Warn those who refuse to relocate that they’ll see massive stepped-up enforcement of our immigration laws everywhere except in those cities, where they’ll be allowed to stay. Free bus fare — hell, put ‘em on planes — for all takers, but only for 30 days, then the hammer comes down.

Our south of the border friends can head to Denver, Minneapolis, both Portlands, east and west, Seattle, and Los Angeles (and Martha’s Vineyard, just for good measure) and the citizens of those locations can welcome, house and care for them. Aliens who accept the offer but then decided to leave can do so ony by accepting deportation to their original homeland; they will no longer be free to roam about the country.

A win-win, and if we extend the offer to the homeless, even better.

UPDATE: The unfortunate law-abiding residents of these cities may want to take advantage of the opportunity to hop on the buses after they’ve discharged these wards of the state and return with them out of Dodge; certainly, they won’t want to stick around for what will be coming.

Not so smart after all

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It certainly sounded impressive

But now for the rest of the story

TAIPEI CITY — After spending over an hour-and-a-half climbing to the top of the Taipei 101 skyscraper, Alex Honnold was left kicking himself after realizing there was an elevator just inside.

Honnold paused to look down after ascending all 101 stories of the massive skyscraper, only to see there was an elevator there the whole time.

"I'm such an idiot," sighed Honnold, seeing people waving as they exited the elevator. "I could have died trying to get up here, when all I had to do was just press a button and wait. Aw man, I really should have picked up on something when I started seeing people through the windows on the 54th story. Boy, do I feel sheepish."

According to local sources, hundreds of people on the street below tried to yell to Honnold to tell him about the elevator, but to no avail. "We kept telling him to come down, that there was an elevator just inside," said local man Lin Hsu. "But the idiot thought we were just cheering for him, and kept waving with a big dumb grin. What a moron."

At publishing time, Honnold had asked if anyone could please let him in through a window so he could at least take the elevator back down.

No wonder Walz and the entire fraud structure are so desperate to change the channel

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A National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique 10-digit identification number for covered healthcare providers in the United States, mandated by HIPAA. It is used by providers, hospitals, and suppliers to identify themselves in administrative and financial transactions, replacing various legacy provider numbers. NPIs are issued by CMS and remain with the provider for life. 

A bitter ending for this home remodeler

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Back in September I wrote about the case of one Paul R. Steed after he’d pled guilty to stealing candy from a baby:

September 12, 2025

Go big or stay home; or in this case, go big and lose your home

I’ve always wondered at the stupidity of bank robbers, whose average take is, according to the FBI, around $3,500, while the average sentence upon conviction is 7.5 years; for anyone who values his time, and admittedly, many of these de-depositors probably don’t, that’s a terrible risk/reward ratio.

So it was with a certain admiration that I read in Greenwich Free Press about the exploits of a Mr. Paul R. Steed, who took the time and effort to at least make the game worth the candle; or it would have been, had he not been caught. He had a nice run, though, and even managed to purchase a modest home in Greenwich at 40 Howard Road in 2023 for $2.525 million — on an asking price of $2.3. That house will apparently be returning to the market soon; Mr. Steed’s own personal resurfacing may be more protracted.

This week he learned his fate:

January 24, 2026;
Stamford Man who Stole $28M from Mars Candy Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

Paul R. Steed, 59, of Stamford, was sentenced on Thursday in Bridgeport to 63 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for fraud and tax offenses stemming from his theft of more than $28 million from his former employer Mars, Inc.

…. Steed [also, and of course] failed to report and pay taxes on his stolen income on his 2014 through 2023 federal tax returns.

Judge Dooley ordered Steed to pay restitution of $28,410,489 to Mars, Inc., and $10,310,680 in back taxes to the IRS.

The government has seized, and Steed has agreed to forfeit, more than $18 million from bank accounts controlled by Steed, and the government is seeking to forfeit, or alternatively liquidate for restitution, a Greenwich home that Steed purchased with nearly $2.3 million [$2.525, in fact] in stolen funds.  Steed also sent approximately $2 million to Argentina, where he is a dual citizen, has family ties, and has a family ranch.

With prison looming, Steed’s house at 40 Howard Road was put up for sale in October at $4.495 million. From its description, he clearly had intended to stick around for a while after his 2023 purchase, and put a whole lot more of Mars’ money into fixing it up to his taste:

Utilizing only the finest materials, this luxurious turnkey home will impress even the most discerning buyer. Completely rebuilt from top to bottom in 2025, it is essentially a brand-new house. Set on a serene 4.4-acre equestrian estate, the property offers exceptional privacy and outdoor enjoyment with a heated inground pool, horse barn with tack room, and expansive paddocks, adjacent to the Greenwich Riding Trails.

Featuring six bedrooms and five full bathrooms, this home offers abundant space for a large household while maintaining privacy for you and your guests. The expansive mudroom provides versatile functionality, generous storage, and access to an inviting three-season screened-in porch, perfect for entertaining and outdoor dining.

Throughout the home, you'll find five wood-burning fireplaces that add warmth and character, including a dramatic two-story brick fireplace that anchors the second-story library and the lower-level billiard hall and game room. Every detail of this home was carefully curated, with the owners hand-selecting each fixture and the luxurious Porcelanosa tiles imported from Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The kitchen countertops, imported from Brazil, feature a beautiful natural pattern with shimmering emerald-green crystals.

Throughout the home, 8-inch white oak flooring combines style with elegance. Quality and efficiency were top of mind, with all-new Marvin windows, a hybrid HVAC system combining electric heat and propane, a 30-year Timberline roof, and superior insulation using spray foam and Rockwool. For added convenience, the dedicated laundry room includes double washers and dryers. There is also a large cedar closet.

Modern technology enhances every aspect of this home, with hidden speakers throughout, a state-of-the-art internet system, and advanced surveillance cameras offering the finest in entertainment and security. The property provides a total of three garage spacestwo attached to the home and one additional bay within the barn. The heated pool features a retractable safety cover and is fully fenced for peace of mind. The home is also generator-ready, ensuring comfort and convenience in any season.

Come tour this stunning, newly rebuilt home and discover all that backcountry Greenwich has to offer in this incredible community. Convenient to both public and private schools, downtown Greenwich, and North Stamford, all of which offer high-end shops and restaurants. This home is not to be missed!

Certainly, the feds didn’t miss it, so you’ll have to negotiate with them if you want to enjoy this blissful piece of paradise.