More Than Five Things for the Week of July 28 - August 3, 2025
A Half Hour You'll Never Get Back
I just bought and put together an office chair. In spite of losing the hex key provided and in spite of the difficulty of managing sometimes heavy pieces while screwing them together, I managed to get it done.
Ah, relief for my aching back.
And that hex key? As I balanced the chair assembly while trying to line it up with the rolling base and put them together the hex key dropped out of the innards of the chair assembly part and attempted to pierce my big toe.
For the People of the U.S.: An Attack on the Rule of Law Including Due Process and Civil Liberties
Political Violence
Town Councilman Set on Fire.
According to the Associated Press reports are that the dispute was personal not political, one could counter that the extreme nature of the attack was the result of the current political climate, i.e. the Trump administration flouting of the rule of law encourages individuals to take extreme action if they have a grievance.
Lee Vogler, Danville Virginia council man for over a decade was taken to a North Carolina hospital burn unit.
Shotsie Micael Buck Hayes forced his way into Showcase Magazine where Vogler is a salesman, poured gasoline on him, chased him outside and lit him on fire. Hayes was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding.
“There is no justification for lashing out,” said Andrew Scott Brooks, publisher of the magazine. “This type of act of senseless violence needs to stop.”
Homemade Bombs
The Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) found 14 homemade explosive devices at the home of Keun Wade O’Neal in Old Fort, TN.
They were called in by local police after O’neal attempted to set the explosives off when they approached and when they attempted to detain him.
O’Neal had made threats about killing public officials and law enforcement personnel in Polk County. Police had a warrant for his arrest.
He has been charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components.
This is not the first case involving homemade explosives in the last eight months.
In New York a man was charged and accused of making and attempting to use homemade bombs in Manhattan.
In Garland, Tx. homemade explosives were found near a park.
In Virginia the FBI found over 150 homemade explosive devices.
Freedom of Oppression not Expression
That’s what the Trump administration has wrought.
Attacks on Military
Women, Black and Trans Soldiers Removed
Top female officers removed from office. Trans officers called liars and unable to serve, removed. Black general removed.
Last woman in four-star general or admiral leadership position fired in February. Gone then Adm. Lisa Franchetti. No clear explanation was provided.
Other top female other top female officers were also removed from prestigious roles including the senior military assistant to Hegseth.
According to Military.com “By failing to justify the firing, they argue, the Trump administration is sending a clear message: Women are no longer welcome in the military's highest ranks.”
Also, in February Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff removed from that position as he was believed to support diversity and equity in the ranks.
And most recently, in July, transgender soldiers are in the process of being removed. It wasn’t their choice. Their ability to serve was removed categorically. Trump’s EO, issued in February stated “"adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual's sex conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life" and "a man's assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member."
“"To be denied that opportunity -- not because of my qualifications or capability, but because of bias disguised as policy -- it's just incredibly disheartening," A trans soldier said.
Secretary of Defense Hegseth touts’ merit-based promotions but appears to be firing officers and soldiers for gender, sex or race discrimination reasons.
For Top Generals to Get New Positions, Must Meet with Trump
Four-star Generals are recommended for that promotion by superiors who know them and their service to this country best. That promotion is confirmed by the Senate.
Now Trump will be the decider. Now he is requiring that any general recommended for a promotion to four-star must meet with him.
This has been his practice since at least June though it was not widely known. Trump, as president has not followed the tradition of walling off the military from partisan politics.
That’s according to the Associated Press, BUT long observed by the general public,
I repeat, Trump is no respecter of the tradition of walling off the military from partisan politics
He,
Federalized the California National Guard and sent them to Los Angeles without consulting with California Governor Newsom.
Sent 700 Marines to Los Angeles.
Changed a planned U.S. Army 200th year celebration into a personal military parade and birthday celebration in D.C.
At Fort Bragg, North Carolina held a campaign-style rally and used the military as a political prop. He criticized former president Biden, Governor Newsom and other Democrats. Attendees were self-selected for their appearance and loyalty to Trump. Political, MAGA/Trump merchandise was sold at the rally.
Is sending soldiers to beef up ICE in every state.
“President Trump wants to ensure our military is the greatest and most lethal fighting force in history, which is why he meets with four-star-general nominees directly to ensure they are war fighters first — not bureaucrats,” assistant press secretary Anna Kelly said.
And we wonder, is he asking them for “loyalty” like he did former FBI Director Comey during the first administration?
You bet ya.
For Loyal Subjects of Trump and Trump: Impunity
Impunity for the Favored
Pardons, Commutations, Moves to Minimum Security Prisons, Interviews with the Deputy Attorney General, Dismissed Civil and Criminal Cases
This month convicted abuser of girls and co-conspirator of Epstein, Ghislane Maxwell was moved to the Bryan minimum security prison in Texas after a two-day interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Yet Another Interim U.S. Attorney Becomes Acting U.S. Attorney
At least three Interim U.S. Attorneys whose terms were up have been appointed Acting U.S. Attorney by Trump after the flouting of the law. A judicial panel has the authority to appoint a U.S. Attorney or keep the Interim U.S. Attorney on at the end of their term. In two cases the judges refused to keep the Interim AG. In the third, the Trump administration appointing him Acting U.S. Attorney one day before his term was up.
Now there is a fourth. Interim, now Acting U.S. Attorney for Nevada Sigal Chattah.
Before she became Interim U.S. Attorney ChattaU.h was accused of making racist remarks. She verbally attacked a black congressional representative and black Attorney General. She described then Representative Jamaal Bowman as a "hood rat" and a "ghetto rat." During her 2022 campaign for Nevada Attorney General she said the serving Attorney General Aaron Ford "should be hanging from a f------- crane."
Before her appointment as Interim U.S. Attorney some suggested that her extreme partisan bias would hamper her from fairly fulfilling her duties to represent all the people in Nevada.
As an attorney she had represented clients who wanted to block a law that protects election workers and others who sued against alleged assaults on children with disabilities.
She said her focus as U.S. Attorney is the “most serious, readily provable offenses and includes drug trafficking and violent crime.” And corruption.
After Trump appointed her Acting U.S. Attorney bipartisan watchdog groups Democracy Defenders Action and the Conservative Society for the Rule of Law sent a letter July 29 to Andrew Gordon, chief judge of the U.S. district Court of Nevada opposing her appointment. It was signed by 116 former judges.
Chattah and the Trump administration are claiming her appointment was legally done. They say that she resigned early and thus created a vacancy. Then Trump used the Vacancy Act which says the President can fill a vacancy.
Impunity for Trump
Sex Exploits of the Past
Some have wondered why Trump is avoiding consequences for his past close association and potential exploits with Epstein.
Why he was able to promote suspicions that prominent Democrats might have been clients of Epstein while not being suspected himself after a long Epstein association and comments where he said Epstein was a great guy and like very young women just like he did.
The answer, others say is that unlike Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein who were charged with sex offenses but were not only near the end of life, Trump, though elderly, has enormous power. Cosby and Weinstein, though they had such power in the past as famous people, no longer had that power.
Though Trump was held liable for the sexual assault of E. Jean Carroll, many, many other women have come forward and he has escaped any accountability. Indeed, it was the continued defamation of Carroll that brought that case to court. Without it, Carroll perhaps would not have even sued. (Trump first defamed her while president and could not be sued then as president but was successfully sued afterwards when many saw Trump as vulnerable, reduced to a failing businessman and former president.) (several cases involving his company and its employees were successfully adjudicated)
Corruption
Just Security Corruption Tracker
Just Security has been keeping a litigation tracker of lawsuits against Trump and the Trump administration. Now they have started one on corruption. You can find an article on it and the tracker at Justsecurity.org.
Will Trump Pardon Diddy?
Trump appears to love him someone ‘wrongly accused’. But will he pardon Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs?
Combs was recently convicted of two counts of transportation for engaging in prostitution but acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking.
According to Yahoo, during an interview on Newsmax Trump said:
“Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half-innocent,” “[He’s] still in jail or something, but he was celebrating a victory. But I guess it wasn’t as good of a victory.”
Trump then said he had been “very friendly” with him and “got along with him great”. Reportedly Trump attended some Combs’ VIP parties, called him a “good friend’ during a 2012 episode of the Apprentice.
Combs VIP parties have been characterized as sex and drug parties by media reports and by testimony at his trial.
Then Trump ran for office.
“But when I ran for office, he was very hostile. It’s hard, you know? We’re human beings. And we don’t like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements. So I don’t know…. it makes it more difficult to do.”
Makes it more difficult to do. As in pardoning Diddy would be hard to do. This, this is the one you want to take the moral high ground on. And why? Because he dissed you?
Maxwell Moved to Camp Fed; Pardon Coming?
Shortly after an interview with Deputy A.G. Blanche Maxwell was moved to a minimum-security Texas prison from a prison in Floriday where she was in solitary confinement.
In order to be moved, she had to get a waiver as sex offenders are not allowed in minimum security prisons.
When Blanche interviewed her, it has been reported that he had no federal agent with him as would be protocol. It is usual protocol to have a witness so later it cannot be claimed that the interviewer is lying about what was said. (Perhaps no witness was desired?)
It is believed now that there was no official ‘proffer’ opportunity (she was not being interviewed in regard to existing investigations or future ones, but the interview was political intelligence gathering. It was to find out what she would say about democrats and what she would say or not say about Trump.
A MAGA Insta Pot? MAGA Sheets and Snow Globes?
Last June a lobbyist announced a new line of small kitchen appliances and other products such as snow globes, dinner plates, flatware, bedsheets with “Make America Great Again” printed or otherwise put on them. Proceeds from the sales of the items would be donated to the Trump presidential library.
The lobbyist represented Centre Lane Partners who just happens to be fighting antitrust allegations. (Lobbyists mentioned a potential Federal Trade Commission antitrust suit against the company.)
There have been a number of cases where companies facing litigation for illegal activity, or already convicted of the same, were able to get cases dismissed, obtain a favorable resolution or received presidential pardons by sucking up to Trump. They made large donations, flattered Trump…..or had a history of doing so.
Was this another solicitation of relief?
Unfortunately, the company did not ask for the use of that Trump trademark, nor did they offer the Trump Organization a cut.
According to the New York Times, the Times approached the Trump organization with questions and the Trump organization then advised the company against making the products. Trump Organization General Counsel Alan Garten warned if Trump name or trademarks were used without permission, “we would have no choice but to take appropriate legal action.”
And that was the end of that.
Scheme Selling Citizenship, Access to Trump
Sherry Xue Li had a plan. She promised investors permanent resident status in the U.S., to others she promised access to American politicians, including Trump.
There is a federal investment plant that could earn a foreign-born individual citizenship. It’s through an EB-5 visa program and requires a $1.5 million dollar investment. There are requirements.
Sheri Li does not administer it.
She created a fictitious development project, Thompson Education Center and promised lawful permanent residence through the EB-5 visa. She defrauded investors of at least $30M.
She was charged with “money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government by obstructing the Federal Election Commission’s (FEC’s) administration of campaign finance laws”.
She has pled guilty.
Foreign Policy
War
Trump Cools Towards Putin
Trump appears to be realizing that Putin has not been honest in peace negotiations. However, Trump has not really attempted to take a hard line against Putin. Trump has threatened sanctions but originally said Putin had 50 days to make a ceasefire with Ukraine. (Many complained that Trump was giving Putin another 50 days to do what he wanted to do.) Trump has shortened that timeline.
Note: I’m not sure Trump has really cooled against Putin. Wouldn’t he advance sanctions? Push for money and weapons for Ukraine. Vocalize on the topic?
Trump has loose lips, he does not hesitate to say what he thinks without regard to the consequences.
Trump Warns Russia, Move Submarines
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation trolled Trump on social media. He criticized Trump’s foreign policy and warned it could lead to war between Russia and the U.S.
Instead of jabbing back on social media Trump escalated the situation by re-deploying two U.S. nuclear submarines.
Russia has responded. According to the Hill, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov “told reporters that Moscow maintains a responsible stance on nuclear issues and prefers not to engage in rhetoric that could escalate tensions.”
Thus, Russia appears the responsible country. And Trump appears to be irresponsible and likely to respond in a similar manner at another time.
Trump to Lift Argentinian Visa Restrictions
According to PBS Trump is working on a plan to allow Argentineans to visit the U.S. without a Visa. Such a plan could take two to three years to work out.
Argentinean President Javier Milei is Trump’s “staunchest ally in South America and a darling of conservatives around the world.”
Gaza
Appearing to be affected by the pictures of starving children in Gaza Trump sent Special Envoy and Real Estate Mogul Steve Witkoff and Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on a trip within Gaza to ‘sus out’ the truth. They visited a GHS food site and with Netanyahu.
Many complained that they will only see what the Israeli government wants them to see. They will not see the truth. It’s a publicity stunt, they say, meant to make it look as if Trump is a humanitarian and really cares about the situation in Gaza.
Hamas called it a ‘propaganda show’. A local nurse complained that Trump’s representatives will never see reality in Gaza.
Witkoff has been involved in failed ceasefire and hostage negotiations with Hamas. Ambassador Huckabee has continuously praised Netanyahu.
On the day of their visit 92 Gazans were killed, 51 at or near a GHS food site.
Trump Wants Israel to Distribute Coming U.S. Food Aid
Trump has claimed that the ‘we’ sent lots of food aid to Gaza, and no one has even thanked him. “we’re giving away money and things”
He has also claimed that the to fix the starving the U.S. has already sent part of a promised $ 30 million.
He wants Israel to distribute the food. (Israel has no plan of their own to distribute aid in Gaza but backs the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) food sites where the people of Gaza risk their lives to obtain some food.
Immigration
Trump Signals Ukrainians Can Stay—for Now
According to the Kiev Independent on July 29 Trump said, “he would likely allow Ukrainians who fled Russia's full-scale invasion to remain in the United States until the war ends.” In response to a question by a journalist he said "I think we will, yeah, I will,"
Former president Joe Biden’s initiative “Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) a humanitarian parole program was suspended in January of 2025. 240,000 Ukrainians have come to the U.S. under that program since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Twice, a potential Trump administration initiative to remove Ukrainians from the U.S. have been reported this year. A repatriation of the refugees using foreign aid and a transfer of them to the Guantanamo Bay military prison. The White House called both “fake news.”
ICE Arrest Police Officer Cleared to Serve by DHS - Maine
According to newscentermaine.com ICE arrested an Old Orchard Beach, Maine, police officer. The Police Chief says he was cleared to serve by DHS to work in the U.S. in May through E-Verify. Jon Luke Evans, of Jamaica, was arrested by ICE on July 25.
ICE says he overstayed his visa.
1350 more Nat Guard gone from LA
700 Marines have also left.
250 national guardsmen will remain to protect federal buildings.
Hunger Strike Alligator Alcatraz
Three days ago, we learned that there was a hunger strike at Alligator Alcatraz that had been going on for ten days. The hunger strike is a protest by detainees who say conditions are inhumane and dangerous.
Pedro Hernández who has been in the U.S. for near 25 years was arrested during a routine check in in July. From the detention center x Hernandez said “We’ve all been hungry since Tuesday. I’m not going to eat another plate of food until they show us respect," Hernández said.
Last Thursday Democratic leaders spoke at an emergency town hall in Coconut Grove to demand reform and accountability.
Hurricane Plans for Alligator Alcatraz
According to CBS a heavily redacted plan for emergency evacuation of Alligator Alcatraz entitled “South Florida Detention Facility Continuity of Operations Plan," was issued by the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM).
“FDEM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie said that the facility could withstand winds up to a Category 2 hurricane. That’s not promising.
Note: A Category 2 hurricane has winds that range between 96 and 110 mph. There are three other categories of hurricanes with a category 5 hurricane having winds up to 157 miles per hour and more. If a coming hurricane is rated above category 2, evacuation is ordered.
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is looking for accountability and clarity. She said,
"We cannot go by just blacked-out information in a 30-page document and just trust the DeSantis administration."
"This is what is unacceptable. We absolutely need to have a clear, written, confirmed plan in hand from the Division of Emergency Management and ICE, who are responsible for these detainees at the end of the day,"
Congress is responsible for the oversite of immigration detention sites. Wasserman Schultz and others are doing that oversite. Florida should have a good, workable plan to evacuate detainees at Alligator Alcatraz.
Tariffs
Trump suspends exemption for low-value imports under $800
Effective August 29 the exemption for imports under $800 in value will not exist. This exception, called the de minimis exemption allowed low value imports to escape tariff fees. Many of the products imported were clothing and small value items sold by many small retailers or directly through corporations such as Amazon and Temu.
There was abuse of the system, i.e. many smaller orders placed to avoid the tariff, and even illegal drugs were smuggled in in Fed Ex pouches as there was little inspection of the packages.
Consumers Begin to Feel the Pinch
Companies that tried to absorb tariff costs are now beginning to raise prices. Cosco, Addidas, Black and Deckers, Proctor and Gamble all told investors they would be raising prices due to tariffs.
Small business-like coffee roaster and shop Rock City Coffee in Maine are also now marking up a new price schedule.
"We have no interest in running our business into the ground, in part due to tariffs,” said Carter’s CFO Richard Westen. Carters is a child apparel company.
New Trump tariffs have been a looming crisis where the expected impact had not immediately been evident. There are some possible reasons for that:
stockpiling, companies bought more than usual to counter
a reluctance to pass tariff costs along to consumer
that 90 days pause in higher rates
lag in some purchases, i.e. retail orders months in advance, may not be getting goods yet that are higher tariffed
gentle inflation in some industries. For example, grocery price increases averaged 3% and were less noticeable due to large sales on stockpiled and nationally produced items and the spreading of the impact on specific imported goods, across a range of items. Large price hikes on meat, and the continued high price of eggs were exceptions.
Though initial tariff announcement caused sharp declines on Wall Street, things are going along swimmingly now as many investors don’t believe the really high tariffs will go into effect. After all, Trump has continually put off, then announced, then put off again tariffs.
Asked to speculate on the impact of tariffs Fed Chair Powell said that “I think we have a long way to go to really understand exactly how it will be.”
Many are now saying that the next three to six months will show us.
Reconstruction of The Economy
Trump’s Insistence on Lowering Interest Rates
This goes against common wisdom. You do not lower interest rates when you have inflation and a strong employment record.
Some are now saying that since that strong employment record has been revised downward its time for a decrease in the interest rate.
Nope, economists say, when you have weak employment and you have increasing inflation, that’s stagflation. That’s not a case for lowering interest rates and increasing investment, booming the economy as that will increase inflation.
And yet, we don’t know what the Fed might do. In the most recent meeting, interest rates were not lowered but two of the board, two Republicans voted against the others.
And now, one of the board members is leaving prematurely. Trump now will be able to appoint a new member.
Insurance Rates Rising
According to Insurance Network News in Illinois State Farm announced an average of a 27% increase in household insurance this year. They say its due to extreme weather events and pricier repairs. Such an increase would amount to a rough average of a $746 annual increase for the average family.
Another insurance company, Allstate raised rates 14.35% earlier this year and 12.7% in 2024.
State Farm says that costs “exceeded projections in 13 of the last 15 years, creating what it called a persistent shortfall in risk-based pricing.”
Note: As an Illinois homeowner I can attest to insurance rates rising each and every year. State Farm raised rates for 2024 by 12.3%.
In Illinois regulators have little ability to block or review. That means insurers don’t need their approval to raise premiums. Once they file with the Department of Insurance that’s usually the end of it.
Governor Pritzker called on Illinois legislators to do something about rising insurance rates. Last year he signed legislation that requires rate review for large group health insurance companies. The state can now block excessive increases in health insurance.
According to realtor.com state Representative Bob Morgan wants “that same framework to homeowners’ policies, creating a process where companies must justify large hikes with data, and regulators can reject increases deemed unfair or excessive.”
“Hardworking Illinoisans should not be paying more to protect beach houses in Florida,” he said.
However, Republican State Rep. Jeff Keicher said that might backfire. Like in California, insurers might stop writing new policies. If forced to underprice, they could go out of business. Then homeowners would not have a way to get their house fixed. Keicher is a State Farm agent.
Attacks On Science, History, Truth
Trump Impeachment Placard Missing
At the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, information about Trump’s impeachments is missing from a display on U.S. Presidental impeachments. They say that the information was removed as it was not up to museum standards and would be revised and returned with a few weeks.
Some say no, it was removed during a content review to ensure displays and exhibits do not go against Trump policy. Or Trump.
Trump Lies
Trump attacks Science and Truth on a daily basis. Recently he lied about food aide to Gaza. He said that the U.S. sent so much food and implied that other countries did not. He implied that the newly promised $30 million in food aid had already started arriving one day after it was pledged. It had not.
He said that Epstein stole Virginia Gutherie from Maralago and that’s why he threw Epstein out of Maralago—for stealing his employees. But the timeline is wrong. Trump was praising Epstein years after Guthrie worked there. And it was Maxwell who recruited Giuffre to be a masseuse for Epstein. For Trump the lie was just the latest in supposed reasons for ‘throwing out Epstein” Other reasons: he was a creep, they had a falling out over the purchase of a Florida real estate.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Shuts Down
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is shutting down after its funding was rescinded. CPB, a nonprofit, helped to fund National Public Radio and many television and radio stations.
NPR, considered to be Left-Center Biased (These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information but may require further investigation, is also rated High for factual reporting.
Overall, we rate NPR (National Public Radio) Left-Center Biased based on story selection that leans slightly left and High for factual reporting due to thorough sourcing and accurate news reporting.
Most of the staff at CPB will leave by 9/30, the end of the fiscal year, while a few will remain until January 2026. They say that some national programs have been able to find other sources of funding and will remain on the air.
Weather Modification Bills
Climate change deniers have another explanation for extraordinary extreme weather events like massive flooding, more tornados, and stronger hurricanes.
Somebody must be manipulating the weather.
They are reacting with legislation. In 2024 there were 12 states that introduced legislation. So far in 2025 there are over 30. They seek to ban solar radiation modification (SRM), other atmospheric interventions like cloud seeding, the use of chemtrails and geoengineering.
Chemtrails is a theory that planes are spreading chemical agents. What they are calling chemtrails are actually condensation trails left by airplanes.
According to climate.gov, Solar Radiation Modification is the deliberate large-scale intention to decrease ‘global average surface temperatures by increasing the reflection of sunlight away from earth. Proposed methods use of materials to increase the reflectivity of clouds, the atmosphere or the surface of the Earth. The EPA says that the government is not doing any of that, nor doing any experiments.
According to EPA.gov, “Geoengineering encompasses a broad range of activities that intentionally attempt to cool the Earth or remove certain gases from the atmosphere.” (Think, it’s the story of science fiction books that where mankind geoengineered barren planets into earth-like life-supporting planets.)
Tennessee and Florida have laws on weather modification. A law introduced by Reps Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga) and Tim Burchett (R-TN), the “Clear skies Act” would outlaw geoengineering. Weather modifiers could receive a $100,000 penalty for each violation and a prison sentence of up to five years. Greene claimed in 2018 that lasers from space triggered a 2018 California wildfire.
In Florida public airports are required to report planes with weather modification devices to the state. The law suggests weather modification caused flooding in TX.
Florida Attorney General Uthmeier said “Because airports are most likely to catch those who seek to weaponize science in order to push their agenda, your compliance with these reporting obligations is essential to keeping our state safe from these harmful chemicals and experiments.”
For evidence weather modification critics say cloud-seeding has been used to increase rainfall and suggest maybe it has resulted in extreme flooding. Cloud seeding around since the 1950’s and is a practice that is very small scaled and most likely used in arid areas. There is no evidence of large cloud-seeding events that might produce massive flooding.
There appears to be a conflating of falsehoods with legitimate small-scale research into geo-engineering. This results in claims that scientists or maybe governments are controlling weather patterns, creating severe weather events.
In Oklahoma an anti-government militia praised an attack on local weather station radar agreeing that it can be used to manipulate the weather. That radar can be used to change the weather. (Radar is used to track storms and help provide accurate weather forecasting for the public.)
An anonymous person who tracks weather modification theorists said, “I saw someone tweet the other day a picture of the sky, and it was blue,” this person said. “And then 20 minutes later, there were clouds. And they said, ‘How is this possible?’ And I’m like, have people just never looked up?”
EPA websites currently reject claims of government weather control. They say the federal government is not engaged in experiments or weather modification. The “federal government is not aware of there ever being a contrail intentionally formed over the United States for the purpose of geoengineering or weather modification.”
Conspiracy theorists say that the government mention of things like geoengineering or chemtrails means they exist and must be the cause of extreme weather events.
Attacks on Universities
Thanks Columbia University, Now Trump Wants Duke
As reported on July 30 in The Hill, the Trump administration has frozen $108 million of NIH grants to Duke University. They did so only two days after launching their investigation into alleged race-based discrimination. Two-days is not enough time to make that decision.
Their primary evidence relates to the selection of editors for the Duke Law Journal. It does not come from a government investigation. As reported in the Washington Free Beacon, each year Duke Law Journal editors review applications by law students for editor positions for the next year. This year they were asked to write a “12-page memo analyzing an appellate court decision and a 500-word personal statement about what they would contribute to the Journal.” Current Law journal editors use a points-based grading system to assess the memo and also consider the applicants GPA.
Editors prepare a packet to help students prepare their application. However, purportedly this year additional information was included in ‘affinity’ group packets. This encouraged them to include a statement on how their race or sex or gender perspective in education. They were also purportedly told that doing so could provide them with extra points.
The Washington Free Beacon is graded by mediabiasfactcheck.com as:
Right biased
“Overall, we rate the Washington Free Beacon Right Biased based on story selection that favors the right and Mixed for factual reporting due to misleading and false claims.
“The Washington Free Beacon demonstrates a consistent right-leaning bias through its use of loaded language, selective story choice, and occasional issues in factual reporting. The publication frequently employs charged language in its headlines and articles, often framing issues to cast liberal or progressive figures in a negative light.”
“In terms of story selection, the Washington Free Beacon tends to prioritize topics that align with conservative interests, such as criticism of progressive policies, immigration reform, and perceived excesses of “woke” culture. This pattern of selective focus can lead readers to perceive certain issues as more urgent while reinforcing a conservative narrative.”
I read the article, and the only source mentioned was “according to a person familiar with the matter.” They did not say that they had sent the purported extra information, nor read it, nor verified it was received by ‘affinity’ students.
During my time on the article a pop-up ad appeared. It said:
“Do you want coverage of the enemies of freedom you can't get from the mainstream media?”
It offered a subscription to a daily Beacon morning report email.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. “If Duke illegally gives preferential treatment to law journal or medical school applicants based on those students’ immutable characteristics, that is an affront not only to civil rights law, but to the meritocratic character of academic excellence.”
In a letter Secretary of HHS Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent to Duke University leadership he outlined concerns about the use of race preferences in Duke’s hiring, admissions, and scholarship decisions as well. (Another conclusion of that two-day investigation?)
Duke is being asked to make “‘necessary’ personnel changes, prove it has reformed its policies and is sticking with them, and create a ‘Merit and Civil Rights Committee.’”
A New Definition for Antisemitism
In the Columbia University agreement with U.S. government, they had to adopt a new definition of antisemitism, that says just critiquing Israel is antisemitic.
Brown University Signs Deal with Trump
The deal makes it sound like Brown was engaged in the activities (unlawful race discrimination, gender reassignment surgeries on minors, discrimination on the basis of race and national origin.)
According to the White House Brown agreed to:
The agreement ensures Brown will not engage in unlawful racial discrimination in admissions or university programming. Brown will provide access to all relevant data and information to rigorously assess compliance with its commitment to merit-based admissions.
Brown will pay $50 million over ten years to state workforce development organizations that comply with anti-discrimination laws, supporting regional economic growth and career opportunities.
Brown will adopt the definitions of “male” and “female” from President Trump’s Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism” for women’s sports, programing, facilities, and housing.
Brown will not perform gender reassignment surgeries on minors or prescribe them puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.
Brown will take steps to improve the campus climate for Jewish students and combat anti-Semitism.
The agreement reinstates all HHS grants, restores Brown’s eligibility for future grants and awards, and closes pending investigations into the university.
The agreement establishes a three-year monitoring period to ensure compliance with the agreement and federal laws.
It continues with accusations.
Harvard Fight Update
is Harvard wavering?
Purportedly Harvard and the Trump administration were close to a deal. Trump indicated a week would be enough time to seal it, but that week has passed. It has been reported that the deal would include upwards of $500 million in payments by Harvard. Harvard has said that was a White House only statement.
Note: By now you are realizing that along with other short statements about progress, the “two weeks” to conclusion is just a distraction and means there is no deal anywhere near conclusion and may not be any deal in discussion at all.
According to the Harvard Crimson, the Harvard student newspaper, “Harvard President Alan M. Garber has told faculty that a deal with the Trump administration is not imminent and denied that the University is considering a $500 million settlement, ‘according to three faculty members familiar with the matter.’
According to the New York Times “The University is seriously considering resolving its dispute with the White House through the courts rather than a negotiated settlement, Garber said,”
The deal has been on again, off again and Garber has also said recently that Harvard will not give up academic freedom. He stated that agreeing to a monitor would be considered giving up academic freedom.
The Courts State, Federal, Local
Judge Frimpong’s Ban on ICE Arrests that they Based on Skin Color, Language, Job, Accent, Place at Time of Arrest Affirmed.
Appeals court affirms lower court block of immigration stops based on race, accent, job, location, i.e. racial profiling. They did say that Judge Frimpong’s statement “except as permitted by law” was too vague.
Block of Trump Asylum Ban Upheld by Appeals Court
On Friday a panel of federal judges limited President Trump's effort to close the U.S. asylum system. They said his administration can't unilaterally suspend laws that bar the U.S. from deporting migrants to places where they would face persecution or torture.
Trump’s early administration EO had closed the U.S. asylum system allowing the quick removal of immigrants seeking asylum.
District Court Judge Randolph Moss said that U.S. law requires the government to hear those who want humanitarian protection as they fear they could be harmed if deported.
The appeal court had stayed his ruling until they could review the EO and his order. They lifted the stay but also limited his order. They said that the class of individuals his order would impact would be those who were already in the U.S.
They said that U.S. law “permits, but does not require, the government to grant asylum to those who prove they could be persecuted because of their race, religion, politics or other factors.”
They therefore allow asylum seekers to be prevented from entering the U.S. to claim asylum.
They said immigrants could apply for other humanitarian protections such as “withholding of removal” and the United Nations Convention Against Torture. Those require mandatory not discretionary protection if applicants meet requirements.
Note: Does this sound weird to you? If the U.S. has an asylum law that allows applicants how can the U.S. not hear claims brought by asylum seekers? And the “withholding of removal” claim appears to be moot as at least two incidents of ignoring that have been reported. One was the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia who was sent to CECOT prison in El Salvador despite having a withholding of removal claim.
Lawfare Editor in Chief Desires Emil Bove Impeachment
Ben Wittes Editor in Chief of Lawfare writes that Emil Bove is a disastrous pick for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals judgeship. Wittes says the solution is Bove’s impeachment.
Wittes realizes that in the current Congress that’s not going to happen. However, as soon as Democrats regain control of the House, he says they should Impeach Bove.
Wittes realizes that the Senate will never convict Bove as a vote of 67 Senators is required. However, he says the House will have an investigation and Bove’s actions at DOJ will once again be raised and more proof found. More backing for the whistleblower complaints of telling prosecutors to tell courts to go to Hell and other unlawful actions taken by Bove. This will raise questions as to Bove’s suitability and perhaps there will be a trial in the Senate. It will be a messaging impeachment and could prevent future such appointments.
Perhaps it will even keep him off the Supreme Court.
Trump Wants Early Depo of Murdoch
Says its necessary as Murdoch is elderly and not in good health. He might die.
Says the pot to the kettle.
Federal Government
Executive
Defense
Army rescinds West Point role for ex‑CISA director after Laura Loomer criticism
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point was ordered to review hiring practices, bar outside groups from choosing employees and remove Jen Easterly who was just recently announced as the Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair in West Point’s social sciences department. Easterly led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) during the Biden administration.
Note: Interesting, that thing about outside groups choosing employees. Right-wing provocateur and non-governmental actor Laura Loomer is credited with getting Easterly fired.
During her tenure at CISA Easterly was criticized by Republicans for countering misinformation about the 2020 election and the Covid 19 pandemic. Republicans said it was censorship. CISA secures the nation’s infrastructure such as dams, banks, nuclear power plants and voting systems.
Trump made false claims to cast doubt on the integrity of elections.
Easterly said CISA did not censure anyone. “Allegations against CISA are riddled with factual inaccuracies.” she said.
Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
Fact: at most U.S. prisons prisoners are charged for room, board and medical care. Most jobs that prisoners may hold are paid a pittance, but even that can be taken to pay towards their bills. If they are unable to pay, their family may be asked to do so.
Charges follow prisoners when they complete their sentence and some claim this is an incentive to commit more crime as it is difficult for ex-convicts to get and keep good paying jobs.
DOJ
DOJ Shuts Down Pedophile Website with 120,000 Followers
William “Spearman went by the nickname "Boss" and was labeled by the Justice Department as "one of the most significant" purveyors of child sex abuse material in the world. His arrest in 2022, his guilty plea a year later and his eventual life sentence were part of an “unprecedented takedown of a prodigious child abuse network.”
DOGE
Blumenthal estimates that far from saving the U.S. government money by finding waste fraud and abuse DOGE has cost the federal government $21.7 billion.
This is the result of an investigation using the information provided by 20 government watchdogs.
Things considered were
The financial impact of reorganization
Mass layoffs
Grant cancellations
Paying people to do noting
Deferred resignation program (estimates range from 154,000 to over 200,000 people took this option.)
Cost of Reinstating Employees
Long term costs like the reduced ability of agencies to perform legislative duties
DOGE bragged that they saved money and published it on their own website. Media and interest groups researched the purported savings and found they were riddled with error, often recording millions as billions, counting savings found by government watchdogs (Inspector Generals) in past years.
Inspector Generals
Trump immediately fired 20 Inspector General’s when he took office. Senator Gary Peters prepared a report. He found that the firing of IG's put the work of their office at risk. It undermined independence, sent a message that everyone’s job was arbitrarily at risk, decreased general satisfaction and opinions.
Directly related is the loss of 30% of IG office staff with some 10 to 15% more possible. This increases the risk of fraud due to the lack of personnel available to complete investigations and assessments.
"We now have to do our work based on who is in power, everybody is liable of .... being fired at any time.”
FEMA and Emergency Help
That Kerr County emergency coordinator says he was sick and asleep so didn’t get the alarm that flooding was imminent. According to NBC Emergency Management Director William “Dub” Thomas “said he immediately reported to the sheriff’s office but decided not to issue an alert to cellphones because the National Weather Service had already done so.” “…based on the data we had at the time, there was no clear indicator that a catastrophic flood was imminent,” Thomas said. “The situation evolved faster than anyone could have predicted.”
He spoke during a joint hearing held by the Texas Senate and House’s select committees on disaster preparedness and flooding
He said he had been ill the preceding days and was asleep when on July 4, Thomas said his wife woke him up around 5:30 a.m. after receiving a call from Kerrville Emergency Management Coordinator Jerremy Hughes, requesting him to mobilize.
“The storm dumped more than 12 inches of rain in less than six hours, killing more than 130 people, including dozens of children, across the Texas Hill Country over the Fourth of July weekend”, officials said.
The two other leaders responsible for emergency management, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the county’s most senior elected official, who serves as the head of emergency management and Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha were also absent in the early morning hours on the fourth.
Kelly was at his lake home “We received no alerts suggesting an extreme weather event was imminent,” he testified. He said he woke up to calls from law enforcement. at that time, he said, Camp Mystic where 27 campers and staff died, was already flooded.
Sheriff Leitha was asleep until he was roused at 4:20 a.m.
The three leaders responsible for emergency management were absent in the early morning hours.
Congress
Legislators
Senator Cotton is accusing the former special counsel Jack Smith of violating the Hatch act by pushing for a rushed trial of Trump.
The office of the Special Counsel, which is tasked with investigating such accusations has opened an investigation.
The Hatch Act limits political activities by federal employees while they are in office. It is especially concerned with possible interference with the outcome of an election.
Smith allegedly began to push an accelerated prosecution of Trump days after Trump declared he was running for president in 2024. President Biden appointed a special counsel to investigate alleged crimes of interference in the 2020 election by Trump as well as his refusal to return classified documents after he left the presidency. He did so after Trump declared his candidacy in 2023.
It is quite normal for a federal felony trial to be completed within a year to a year and a half to two years. No evidence of Smith pushing for an accelerated schedule of prosecution has as yet been presented.
After the firing of Biden appointed Office of the Special Counsel head Hampton Dellinger on February 7, 2025, and his unsuccessful lawsuit to reclaim the position, the Office of the Special Counsel has not had a full-time leader.
Doug Collins, the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, is also head of the office now
Trump has nominated Paul Ingracia he was slated for a confirmation hearing in the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC), but they decided not to hold the hearing due to concerns with his controversial remarks. praising right-wing figures and the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
Nominations and Confirmations
Fox news host Jeanne Pirro has been confirmed to be the U.S. Attorney for D.C. She has demanded immigration checks on all D.C. defendants.
State Government
TX Redistricting
In an unusual move Texas special session has redrawn Districting map in an attempt to gains more House seats in the next election. redistricting is typically done after the results of a decade’s census to ensure representation after population growth or reduction over the years.
Now Texas is, and other states may do a mid-decade redistricting.
Texas is looking to vote for the new map’s approval.
In a controversial move Texas state legislators have left the state in an attempt to stop the vote. Their absence would mean the legislature would not have a quorum. A vote on the new map is stalled. Most but not all of the absent Democratic legislators went to Chicago where they had been invited by Illionois governor Pritzker. Pritzker promised them help with logistics such as finding hotel rooms and a meeting place.
Texas Governor Abbott is upset by the move and vows to fine them $500 a day for their absence, a fine approved after a previous absence by Democrats. There is also a threat of arrest and a threat of removal from office if they do not return shortly.
Some are concerned after receiving threats of violence.
Breaking: Warrants for their arrests have been issued.
Local Government
Oklahoma Pornography Investigation of Official School Board Meeting
According to the Independent and the Oklahoman Trump supporter and mandator of Bibles in every classroom, Ryan Waters the State Superintendent of Public Instruction held a meeting of the Oklahoma state Board of Education Executive session in his office. While there, attendees said they saw pornographic images on a TV in his office. Waters was not apparently, purposefully displaying the images to them, they happened to be on the TV that was on at the time.
People were upset. Waters expressed dismay and turned the TV off.
His spokesperson said:
"Any number of people have access to these offices. You have a hostile board who will say and do anything except tell the truth, and now, the Wokelahoman is reporting on an alleged random TV cable image.”
The People
Trump wants the people to stop talking about Epstein. However, he keeps bringing him up. Recently he said that he “never had the privilege of going on it” (the Epstein plane that purportedly delivered clients to sex trafficked girls already flown to locations for parties.”
Resistance
Upping Your Game
Stay strong. Eat well. Sleep. Exercise. Have your eyes examined, get your teeth to the dentist. Follow doctor’s advice. You can’t resist, fight against the authoritarian regime if you are in poor health, fitness.
Non-governmental Watchdog Legal Accountability Accuses DOJ Lawyers of Professional Misconduct.
They are bringing their accusations against Eric J. Hamilton, Brad P. Rosenberg, and Liam C. Hillard to bar associations in D.C. and in cities where the lawyers live and work.
The accuse them of making false statements to the judge in their case about the Trump administration dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
Michael Teter, Executive Director of Legal Accountability said the "rule of law is under direct assault right now, and its greatest threat comes when those within the legal system fail to do their duty and stand up against the attack."
"Even though the trump administration isn't intending to follow the rules, we are watching.”
He says the DOJ lawyers misled Judge Amy Berman Jackson in a written filing saying the administration never sought to shut down CFPB just to close the headquarters building and tighten staff supervision.
Later it was learned that Acting head of CFPB and Office of Management and Budget leader Russell Vought told all employees of CFPB to not do any work at all.
In earlier work, Teter helped the 65 Project to bring ethics complaints against John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani for their work in attempting to overthrow the 2020 presidential election.
Judges Call Out DOJ Lawyers
Judges are calling out dept. lawyers, for violating orders and destroying the bonds of trust. The Trump administration responds with ‘lacerating verbal attacks' including impeachment threats.
Media Holds Power to Accord
As much of corporate media bends to Trump’s will, new media continues to pursue truth. There are dozens of podcasts organized by experienced lawyers, former federal employees, former federal officers, senators, representatives, state government actors, and former corporate journalists who left when they felt their employers were slanting the truth.
The same is true of Substack authors. Substack is an internet-based organization that provides a platform for authors. Anyone can write a Substack about anything.
There are also an increasing number of public, non-governmental websites dedicated to specific areas of information.
I’ll note two here.
Lawfare (Lawfaremedia.org) and JustSecurity.org
Lawfare has just hired ex. DOJ prosecutor Michael Feinberg who was recently fired because he had been and remained friends with fired FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strok who worked on the Mueller investigation into the Russian influence on the 2020 election. Lawfare has instituted an interim position for those separated from the federal government as a safe landing pad as they transition to another career.
Just Security has been managing a litigation tracker that records the over one hundred cases contesting Trump EOs and other policies. You can find cases in the searchable database. Frequent updates are made to cases shortly after they happen.
They have just begun to develop a corruption tracker.
The number of fact-checking sites has metastasized.