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Devil worshipper kills people, cop tries to catch him. That’s it. That’s the entire movie.

One of the biggest questions that comes every football season is, "Who is playing the Super Bowl halftime show?"

Waste Of The Day: Mismanagement At SF Zoo

Authored by Jeremy Portnoy via RealClearInvestigations,

Topline: The taxpayer-funded San Francisco Zoo "does not have a healthy or stable financial condition," according to a city audit released in May. The zoo has no written plans or budgets to guide its construction projects, and spent $12 million on them without city approval. Employees are also allegedly hiring their friends and relatives as contractors.

Key facts: The zoo is required to get approval from San Francisco's Recreation and Park Commission before paying more than $50,000 for a construction project. But employees never did so while spending millions on a new "Madagascar Center" and other huge projects, auditors found.

There is also a "widespread view among staff that [the zoo] has a toxic workplace environment," according to the audit. Employees were allegedly chosen for senior roles based on "discrimination and favoritism," not "professional qualifications."

The zoo spends more than $4 million on contracted services like security and advertising every year, but there is no evidence that any of them went through a competitive bidding process to find the best price. The zoo keeps no records of its contractors and was unable to tell auditors how much they are being paid, the audit found.

The audit also confirmed that former zoo CEO Tanya Peterson's fiancé was hired to perform concerts, and other relatives of zoo staff received more than $800,000 for construction projects. The San Francisco Chronicle first exposed the nepotism allegations in 2024, which eventually contributed to Peterson's resignation.

The City of San Francisco gives the zoo $4 million in funding every year, though that amount has not increased since 1993. Most of the zoo's revenue comes from tickets, but low attendance has caused the zoo to outspend its budget for at least the last eight years. The zoo hid this fact from the city by projecting "unrealistically high" attendance numbers each year and making purchases based on the inflated revenue that never materialized, according to the audit.

Oversight of the zoo has been difficult because employees are ignoring public records requests, according to the audit. They claim that because the zoo is a nonprofit, it is exempt from open records laws, but the zoo signed an agreement years ago to share all records as if it were a city agency.

Search all federal, state and local salaries and vendor spending with the world's largest government spending database at OpenTheBooks.com.

Background: The city plans to bail out the zoo with an $8.5 million loan after a city-commissioned report found that closing the zoo or finding a new operator would be more expensive.

The zoo is also planning to bring in pandas from China to fill a new exhibit that will cost $27 million to build. Activist groups like In Defense of Animals have opposed the proposal, arguing the zoo cannot properly care for new animals until it fixes its financial problems.

Summary: San Francisco's zoo has a responsibility to its animals and to taxpayers to manage its money through a carefully-planned budget, not endless deficits.

The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:25

Putin Rejects Open Letter By Zelensky Urging Meet: 'Pointless'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded dismissively to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's open letter issued the day prior, which urged that the two leaders meet in order to finally forge a peace deal and bring an end to the war, now it its fifth year.

Putin made clear Friday that he sees no point in holding a personal meeting with Zelensky. He was asked directly about the letter while attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). In response the Russian leader addressed not the "authors of the epistolary genre," but to Russian soldiers on the frontline: "The whole country is proud of you and is counting on you. Keep up the good work, brothers!" And then, per TASS:

Asked to clarify if this response means that he doesn’t plan to meet with the letter’s author, Putin said, "So far, I see no point in this."

He went on to reject the idea of "meeting just for the sake of meeting" - but did reveal for the first time that only last month he sent an informal envoy to Ukraine at Kiev’s request. Apparently that was the opening of a serious diplomatic overture.

But then, he noted, Ukrainian forces bombed a college dormitory in Lugansk merely soon after the Russian envoy arrived. The brutal attack killed 21 people, mostly teenage girls - and injured many dozens more. The Kremlin was outraged at the 'terrorist act' and the following week heavily bombed various Ukrainian cities, especially the capital. 

State media featured more of Putin's response:

The letter is either "a means to create an environment for a personal meeting, or maybe is this letter meant to make sure that no personal meetings can take place at all,” he remarked, concluding: “I think it's the second.”

Zelensky's lengthy Thursday letter had said Ukraine is also ready for a "full ceasefire." Zelensky wrote: "Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us - and you. I am proposing a meeting. Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations," he added.

The letter also at one point said, "The choice is yours now. Enough of war" and then spells out that "Ukraine proposes to end this war."

"This must be done honestly, with dignity, and with guarantees that the war will not be reignited," Zelensky added. And then interestingly, "We see that the United States is fully focused on the issue of Iran, and it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the center of its attention."

Despite the long appeal, President Putin and the Kremlin have demonstrated a willingness to allow a long war to drag on, and are unlikely to be moved. Putin has said there's no need for a truce unless a deal is already close or about to be signed. But the two sides aren't any closer to being at the negotiating table as yet.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:00

Knicks legend Jeremy Lin joins NY Post’s Erich Richter to discuss the start of his broadcasting career, where things stand in his relationship with Carmelo Anthony, his thoughts on Game 1 of the NBA Finals and what he expects going forward and reveals that he will be making his first return to MSG as a...

The men’s side of the French Open was hit with a surprise Friday morning. Italian Matteo Arnaldi, who had made his first career Grand Slam semifinal and was set to play fellow countryman Flavio Cobolli for a place in the final, abruptly pulled out of his match this morning, shortly before it was slated to...

The Mamdani administration gave a troubled Brooklyn nonprofit $200 million in city contracts — two months after its leaders were indicted on bribery and corruption charges, The Post confirmed. Homeless shelter operator BHRAGS Home Care will collect on at least two new contracts — one for $136 million covering shelter facilities for homeless adults and...

Minnesota Mob Blindness: St. Paul Prosecutor Drops All Charges Against City Church Demonstrators

Authored by Jonathan Turley via JonathanTurley.org,

Minnesotans are familiar with the perils of "snow blindness," a temporary blindness caused by overexposure to ultraviolet rays from the reflection from snow and ice. It appears that Minnesota politicians and prosecutors have a type of mob blindness, where they cannot see crimes committed in front of them by the far left. That condition appears to be tragically evident in St. Paul, where City Attorney Irene Kao made an absurd denial of any criminal activity at the demonstration in the City Church on Jan. 18th. While claiming that there were no observable crimes, Kao's decision just happened to be enormously popular with the mob-driven politics and polling in her state.

In January, dozens of anti-ICE protesters, and former CNN journalist Don Lemon, descended upon the church and disrupted a mass because a church official had connections to ICE.

The demonstrators could have been charged with such offenses as disorderly conduct, interfering with a religious observance, knowingly participating in a noisy assembly and making or continuing a disturbing or excessive noise.

There was a demonstrator who was able to get her misdemeanor charges dismissed earlier. However, Emily Phillips was arrested for her conduct outside of the church and actually responded to police demands that she stop using her bullhorn.

Her case is a good point of comparison. Protesting outside is vastly different from entering a church or event to disrupt it or shout down speakers.

These demonstrators entered a church, refused to leave when told to do so, and abused parishioners while stopping the services.

Kao offers little more than a shrug: "Following a careful evaluation of the video footage, investigative reports, and other available materials, prosecutors determined that the current evidence is insufficient to meet that standard for criminal charges under Minnesota state statutes."

There are 39 people still charged by the federal government under the FACE Act.

Kao insisted, "The right to peacefully protest is protected, as is the right to exercise one's religious beliefs. Balancing these equally important rights is paramount to our decision today."

This is not protected free speech. It is conduct. Indeed, it is criminal conduct.

While Kao stressed that there was no property damage, it is not required under these criminal charges.

What is missing is not the basis for criminal charges but the will to prosecute them. Once again, Democratic politicians are yielding to the mob and refusing to see the criminal conduct.

It is reminiscent of CNN national correspondent Omar Jimenez reporting live from Kenosha, Wis., with a raging fire in the background over a chyron reading, "FIERY BUT MOSTLY PEACEFUL PROTESTS AFTER POLICE SHOOTING."

These politicians and state prosecutors hope to ride this rage wave back into power in Congress and the White House. Indeed, some have told voters to "let your rage fuel you."

We have seen this pattern before in history. Establishment figures often try to harness the rage of the mob, only to be ultimately consumed by the rage themselves.

Irene Kao's decision is a cynical concession to the mob. It is a decision that will give the Minnesota mob a further sense of license.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of the bestselling books "The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage" and "Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution."

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/05/2026 - 17:40

Hammond sits across a state line, roughly 15 miles from Soldier Field, where the franchise has played since 1971.

Each week, The California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race. Here is this week’s edition (records through Thursday night): 1.) Braves (42-21) The Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. hit five home runs in his last seven games before Friday’s MLB action. The Dodgers are making a push...

Last month he led the Tigers to their first WCC Tournament appearance.

I’m not sure if this movie slowly melts or slowly freezes as it goes along.

Immersive sound made easy

Putin slapped down the idea of any face-to-face talks with Zelensky, while admitting his economy is tanking as swarms of Kyiv's drones keep breaching Moscow's defenses.

Yankees star Aaron Judge called the stress fracture in his first right rib the “worst thing” the diagnosis could have been.

It was just the latest of disturbing behavior in the bucolic Hudson Valley.

Trump Tells "Less Shackled" Pulte To Fire Intelligence Officials As Senate Blocks FISA Extension

When has the Senate ever not increased government spy powers? When President Trump installs Bill Pulte as acting DNI and instructs him to start kicking hornet nests, apparently.  

In a WSJ interview published Friday, Trump revealed he has directed incoming acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to begin the process of firing a large number of employees as part of a major shake-up of the U.S. intelligence community. Trump described the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) as “unnecessary and/or too big” and said he wants it made “much smaller” - and possibly even terminated.

“I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump said, targeting holdovers from prior administrations. He told Pulte to “start the process” of firings, noting that Pulte’s acting status makes him “less shackled” and gives him more power in the short term to do the “hard work” of downsizing before a permanent director is confirmed. Trump compared the approach to Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s efforts to shrink her department.

This aggressive move comes as the Senate early Friday morning blocked a procedural motion to extend a key provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), in a 47-52 vote that saw seven Republicans join nearly all Democrats in opposition. The timing of Trump’s decision to name federal housing finance regulator Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence played a central role in the backlash.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged that "the naming of Pulte to that position, although the timing arguably wasn't the best," still should not derail such a critical national security measure according to AP. However, the backlash proved too strong.

• Democrats and several Republicans viewed Pulte's lack of intelligence-community experience and past controversies as disqualifying for leading the 18 U.S. intelligence agencies.
• Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said a negotiated "compromise" on a strong FISA bill had been reached with Chair Sen. Tom Cotton - but the "complete irresponsibility of putting forward" Pulte changed the equation.
• Warner questioned giving Pulte "the keys to the 18 intelligence agencies."
• Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) framed the bipartisan vote as a stand against warrantless surveillance of Americans' communications.

Trump himself walked back the move on Thursday, saying Pulte would not be his permanent nominee for the role.

The blocked FISA provision would have extended warrantless collection of foreign-target communications (which can incidentally capture Americans’ data). The dramatic personnel and structural changes Trump is pushing through Pulte at this exact moment intensified opposition and contributed to the Senate’s inability to advance the extension before its June 12 expiration.

Thune indicated the Senate will try again next week, but any deal would still need 60 votes to advance - and the House has its own complications, including disagreements over a central bank digital currency provision.

Pulte's acting appointment, announced at a sensitive moment in FISA negotiations, provided opponents with leverage to slow the process and demand more accountability on both surveillance reform and leadership qualifications.

Tyler Durden Fri, 06/05/2026 - 17:20

California political watchdogs are investigating whether Eric Swalwell’s doomed gubernatorial campaign illegally used donor cash — a huge chunk of which came from Hollywood A-listers — to cover his legal bills after numerous women accused the ex-congressman of rape, sexual assault and other deviant behavior. Celebrity lawyer Sara Azari has defended Eric Swalwell against sex...

Cliff Fletcher, who won a Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989 and then turned around a flailing Maple Leafs franchise throughout the 1990s, has died.

Her suit claims that the "unprecedented" move to sell “such a major Klimt painting” through the relatively small im Kinsky auction house was actually a move to avoid the strict guidelines of international shops like Christie's or Sotheby's regarding looted art.