Minimum age for joining IRGC lowered to 12
X – Iran International | Mar. 25, 2026

An official from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the minimum age for participation in war-related support roles has been lowered to 12, according to remarks aired on state media.

Rahim Nadali, a cultural official with the Guards in Tehran, said an initiative called “For Iran” was recruiting participants to assist with activities such as patrols, checkpoints and logistics.

“Given that the age of those coming forward has dropped and they are asking to take part, we lowered the minimum age to 12,” he said, adding that 12- and 13-year-olds could now take part if they wished.

And do I smell coffee?

… for complaining purposes:

https://travelpander.com/dimensions-of-an-airplane-seat/
“Airplane seat dimensions focus on width, which has shifted over time. In 1985, major US carriers had seats at least 19 inches wide. From 2000 to 2018, average widths fell from 18.5 to 17 inches, with some seats as narrow as 16.1 inches. These changes affect passenger comfort and seating arrangements in airlines.”

So it’s not my imagination.

I guess Whoopi and I will have to ride in separate aisles on our fun-filled vacation.

GOP Rep Moves to END Chain Migration, Targeting 1965 Immigration Law in Major America First Push
Big League Politics | March 18, 2026

A major shakeup of America’s immigration system is now on the table, as Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) rolls out legislation aimed at dismantling decades of globalist policy and restoring what he says should be a strictly “America First” standard.

The proposal would represent one of the most sweeping immigration overhauls in modern U.S. history—targeting not just illegal immigration, but the very structure of the legal system itself.

At the heart of the bill is a clear directive: immigration policy must serve the national interest—not foreign interests, not activist agendas, and not bureaucratic inertia.

“All immigration to the United States shall serve the economic, cultural, and security interests of the United States as determined by Congress,” the legislative text states.

Ogles’ plan takes direct aim at chain migration, a system that has allowed extended family members of migrants to enter the country for decades. Under the proposal, family-based pathways would be dramatically curtailed and replaced with a merit-based system prioritizing skills, economic contribution, and national security considerations.

The legislation would also eliminate the diversity visa lottery, which currently hands out roughly 55,000 green cards annually to applicants from countries with historically low immigration rates to the U.S.—a program long criticized by conservatives as arbitrary and vulnerable to abuse.

In addition, the bill introduces significantly tougher screening standards for applicants seeking entry into the United States.

Under the proposal, individuals could be denied entry for a wide range of red flags—including suspected gang affiliations, prior arrests for offenses such as domestic violence or DUI, abuse of public benefits, visa overstays, or failure to meet tax obligations.

Even without a criminal conviction, such factors could disqualify applicants under an expanded definition of “good moral character.”

The plan also calls for enhanced vetting procedures, including deep background checks, social media screening, and mandatory in-person interviews.

Wait a sec. We’ve been at this for 250 years, and still don’t have mandatory in-person interviews? Bureaucracies suck at their jobs.

While immigration debates have long centered on border security and illegal crossings, Ogles’ proposal signals a growing shift on the right: a willingness to fundamentally rethink legal immigration itself.

At its core, the legislation seeks to roll back key elements of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965—better known as the Hart-Celler Act—a law widely credited with transforming the demographic makeup of the United States.

That legislation abolished the national-origins quota system and replaced it with a framework prioritizing family reunification and broader global migration flows.

Ogles has been blunt in his criticism of that shift.

“The Hart-Celler Act scrapped the highly effective national-origins quota system and replaced it with an immigration regime built to favor third-world migration,” he said.

If passed, the bill would mark a historic pivot away from the policies that have governed U.S. immigration for more than half a century—and could ignite a fierce national debate over who America’s immigration system is truly designed to serve.

That’s it, in a nutshell: who? The country, or the people trying to get into it?

.

Just out of frame: interns on beach blankets with lunch.

More than 250 illegal migrants cross English Channel as smugglers exploit hottest day of year so far
GB News | 3/18/2026 | Mark White, Jack Walters

More than 260 small boat migrants entered Britain today at the start of several days of good weather in the English Channel.

At least 56 migrants arrived in the Dover harbour on a Border Force vessel just after 10am, GB News can reveal.

Three other migrant boats made the illegal crossing in the hours that followed.

Just after 3pm, the Border Force vessel Typhoon unloaded another 82 at the migrant processing centre in Dover, taking the total for the day to 261.

It takes the total number of illegal arrivals so far this year to 3,718.

Several more days of good weather in the Channel this week are expected to see hundreds more small boat migrants attempt to reach Britain.

The Border Force facility at Dover harbour has now reopened after being closed for upgrade work for the past two months.

Whatever happened to the “One In, One Out” policy?

Not sure that I trust any graph that doesn’t label its X-axis. And wasn’t Liz Truss gone like dandelion pollen in like 60 seconds?

Also, if the numbers are cumulative, is a PM responsible for the numbers let in by their predecessors? They are responsible for the rise, yes; but this graph creates a visual impression that they have done more damage than is fair. They should all start at a zero baseline from their first day in office.