South of Eden by Jesse Welles Aug 23, 2026
I limped out of paradise
with a half eaten peach
a snake on my head
and a curse on my feet
three years no water
three years without food
three years in the desert
with nothing to do
hope was stupid
dumb and naive
in those days there were no kings
I went from village to village
and I heard all their tales
reasons for suffering
reasons for failure
success is a diamond
it’s for one man to keep
but failure’s communal
we all get a drink
the things you think you possess you can keep
in those days there were no kings
everything you’ve ever heard
is just a feeling put to words
the grass is green
the sky is blue
and that’s the best that they could
all of humanity sings
“everyone’s a fool but me”
I came to a river
and the trees grew so high
there were people down there
they were mostly kind
and they were drunk
and laying in bed
comfort’s so cruel
she’ll strangle you dead
it’s hard to swim where they teach you to sink
and in those days there were no kings
Canada’s Mark Carney has a message to all Americans: this madness is on you if you don’t do something. Let’s do something in November. Send the whole world a message: we will fix this.
Attribution: Flexing Maple Leaf on Canadian Flag by Bill Day, politicalcartoons.com
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/aug/24/europe-ukraine-russia
Andy Burnham arrives in Ukraine with plans to share UK blueprints for long-range missiles ā Europe live
Kremlin warns move would āadd fuel to fireā in British-Russian relations, as UK PM visits capital ahead of coalition of the willing meeting
Burnham compares Ukraine’s war against Russia to Britain’s fight against Nazi Germany and vows continued support despite ‘outrageous’ threats from Moscow
During the ceremony in central Kyiv, Britainās prime minister Andy Burnham compared Ukraineās resistance against Russia to Britainās fights against Nazi Germany, and vowed to help Kyiv bolster its air defences ahead of the winter, PA reported.
āMy nation kept the flame of European freedom alive in the 20th century, you hold that flame in the 21st,ā Burnham said in a speech in front of St Sophia cathedral in Kyiv to mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraineās independence.
āDespite Russiaās outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine.ā
Burnham also praised āthe sheer strengthā of the Ukrainian people, and insisted āthis is the moment to keep up the pressure on Russia, the moment to squeeze their ability to fund this illegal warā.
If youāre following our stream, keep watching: given the delay, Burnhamās speech will be coming up soon.
Bid, you mentioned yesterday that the race in DC looked poorly attended. There were about 150000 people attending. Not a bad showing, about on par for a big car race in the US. F1 races in Europe draw 300k – 400k over the 3 days of the event, depending on the trackās spectator capacity. The British Grand Prix is the most well attended, with 500,000 people attending over the weekend
So why is a pro-Israel Republican Senate nominee asking AIPAC to stay away from his campaign?
I noticed local news last night wasn’t quoting those official crowd estimates — maybe they finally figured out Trump world lies about that. All I heard in the local coverage was “thousands” in attendance. DC police has offered no estimate so far.
I have felt sorry for them in my chats around the neighborhood. They didn’t say anything this direct, of course, but it’s obvious they are really uncomfortable.
“I will say very frankly that the bad taste that this mission left in my mouth, it actually embarrasses me to be involved in any way,” one guard member who was part of the deployment for several months recently told NPR.
āthousandsā in attendance
craig, how much of that includes nat’l guard, park service, Cap Police, SS and ICE as well as the local cops?
I noticed NBC News this morning quoted Mayor Bowser estimating 140,000. But the link on their website points to a tweet she wrote 20 days ago predicting the crowd size.
Our Spiderman has been identified and has a gofundmgofundme for legal fees.
When Luis Manuel Aviles was arrested by immigration authorities, his son was entering his ninth month on the USS Abraham Lincoln with the Navy ā a vessel that set a U.S. military record for uninterrupted time at sea, stirring concerns about supply shortages and deteriorating mental health among soldiers.
Luis Manuel Aviles, 48, was arrested after leaving his house to take his car to the mechanic, according to his wife, Argelia Aviles. She said her husband, a handyman in Key West, Florida, has a permit to work in the United States. Originally from Nicaragua, he has lived in the U.S. for 19 years.
More at link
A few thoughts wandering through my precoffee brain
AIPAC took tactics that worked well in national/eastcoast politics to the heartland and they fell flat on their face. They are obviously outsiders trying to influence what most consider a local election. Notice how many elections in this cycle, where obvious outside money was used as a rallying cry for the person being attacked.
Platner in Maine is a good example, National Democratic spending against him did more harm to the spenders than it did against Platner. He used the obvious outside interference to his advantage. The same thing happened with AIPAC in Michigan.
2 thoughts:
Nobody wants outsiders sticking their nose in “our business”. and big money is not necessarily smart money.
Jack
MNTCU coming!
https://wapo.st/3SrqTRB 8/24/26
Secret White House bunker undercuts Trumpās ballroom lawsuit, ex-officials say
The White House already has a nuclear-proof facility buried deep underground and built in secret after 9/11.
By Noah Robertson and Dan Diamond
President Donald Trump has claimed that the White House needs a massive new ballroom because it would provide him and future presidents with a secure, hardened facility. But former officials say the argument fails to acknowledge that the presidential complex already has one.
More than a decade ago, federal officials built a highly protected bunker, embedded deep underground, that can shelter the president and his top aides in a national security emergency, according to three former officials.
The facility, which was secretly completed during the Obama administration, can house dozens of people for up to multiple weeks, two former officials said. Itās buried more than 60 feet underneath the White House complex and built to withstand a nuclear blast, two of the officials said, ensuring the president and his team have a secure command center to run the country in times of extreme duress.
The bunkerās existence, the former officials said, undercuts the Trump administrationās emerging legal argument in the ongoing lawsuit over the $600 million ballroom complexās construction: that the facility must be completed due to its significance for U.S. national security.
The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss elements of the secretive facility, some of which have not been previously reported.
The Washington Post is withholding some details of the bunker and its construction in order to not compromise sensitive White House security protocols. [continues]
Another thought. after reading this WaPo article.
Americans don’t vote for losers. Ya gotta be a winner to get our vote.
With the war in Iran Trump is quickly becoming a loser in American’s eyes. AIPAC is closely tied to the failed war, As is Israel.
Jack
Katie – Do we know who funds Jake Langās escapades (vehicles, travel, security detail) and/or his legal fees?
Cops protecting him and that official-looking SUV behind him, using the cross and the US flag to cosplay Christianity and patriotismā¦it made me wonder if our tax dollars are funding this garbage.
Nothing to see here. Don’t look …
Best thing I can think of to put on that green (screen) starter flag tRUMP was waving is an arrow pointing to him that says āIām in the Epstein files & sold little girls.ā Or, if itās an action video, make his a N&zi flag.
By the way, that was the worst colour guard performance ever. No more flags for you, ~Sir~
US strikes another boat in eastern Pacific, killing two, Pentagon says – AP News
Trump admin’s ‘economic D-Day’ to hammer Iran with new sanctions – Fox News
New Fed chair faces critical test at Jackson Hole as inflation fears mount – The Guardian
Trump’s continued distrust in election integrity has experts eyeing his next move – The Guardian
Transcript: Dr. Mehmet Oz on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Aug. 23, 2026 – CBS News
Why 2026 Could Be a Bigger Blue Wave Than 2018 – The Dispatch
The Plight of America’s Overextended Carrier Fleet – The Dispatch
US military kills two in ālethal kinetic strikeā in Pacific Ocean – Washington Examiner
Lindsay Clancy trial: Lawyer threatens custody action against moms supporting her on TikTok – Hindustan Times
Washington, D.C.’s first IndyCar race packed the National Mall – Iowa Public Radio
— Human Prompted and Edited. Machine Drafted (Gemini Pro).
These are the stories driving the most traffic right nowānot necessarily the stories we think you should read, and not always the most recent. Sign Up Here to receive daily briefs.
i hate what king fucker is doing to Canada
impeach the bastard yesterday
i also blame americans
the new trumper line is āi didnāt know he would do all this when i voted for himā
yeah you did
Today in the Diner… Mark Carney Warns Canada: America Wants To Break Us
Mark Carney warns Canada that America intends to break them. Plus, Sid Miller attacks Greg Abbott over Texas data centers and Ken Paxton drama.
We are serving up a massive plate of political dysfunction today at the Digital Diner. Up north, Mark Carney is issuing a stark warning to Canada that Donald Trump and the American political machine intend to break their economy to own it. It is a sobering look at how our closest allies view the current state of our Democracy. Meanwhile, Pete Buttigieg is spending his weekend trying to win over voters in South Carolina, though a trip to Gary Indiana might have been a better use of his time given the massive power outages being ignored by the national media.
Down in Texas, the infighting is getting loud. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is publicly calling out Governor Greg Abbott for his sudden flip-flop on data centers, demanding a special session before the midterm elections. If that was not enough Lone Star State drama, James Talarico has a new line of attack against Ken Paxton over his record on animal abusers, launching the viral Puppies for Talarico campaign.
Finally, we track the ongoing collapse of Walgreens at the hands of private equity, discuss the frightening ICE retaliation against a sailor on the USS Lincoln, and try to decode whatever JD Vance was talking about during his baffling Ohio rally.
00:00 Intro
00:05 Mark Carney Warns Canada on Trump
09:27 Sid Miller Attacks Greg Abbott
12:44 William Love Spider-Man Arrest
15:30 USS Lincoln Sailor ICE Retaliation
23:38 Walgreens Private Equity Collapse
31:58 Pete Buttigieg in South Carolina
36:08 JD Vance Ohio Rally Confusion
58:56 James Talarico vs Ken Paxton
— Human directed and edited. Machine drafted (Gemini Pro).
For all the robots on live today, an old movie: Real Steel
lol we need to arrange a meeting between Hugh Jackman and his biggest fan
Is this who you were talking about, Jamie? I like her segments “Hot Takes, Cold Facts”:
Craig,
Yes that’s Katherine Hayhoe. I’ve been following her for years. She’s almost looks like a right wing dream (religious, married to a pastor, conservative in her politics most of the time) except for one little detail: She is a climate scientist who really knows her stuff and doesn’t take any nonsense from anyone on the subject. If you need a usable argument, she is a great resource.
Here’s what you referred to Jack? Invade Wall Street!
Reporter: “The yields have come back up since Bessent’s initial intervention in the bond market. Have you talked to him about another type of intervention? Is that something he will be doing?”
Trump replied, “We have many types of intervention. That’s one. The ultimate intervention is our military, and if we have to use that, we will.“
Bessent just announced our next unilateral move, which could put us in a trade war with everybody. Telling allies they must choose between our market and Iran puts everyone in a corner. If they refuse to comply, we either impose crushing tariffs and invite massive retaliation, or back down looking toothless..
today’s meme…
yup!
Military action to push the bond market up?
Is he confusing Bessent buying back our debt (because nobody else thinks the US is a good/reliable risk/investment) and somehow connecting that with buying war bonds?
Acting like mobsters (because thatās how the regime operates) isnāt going to fly. Mexico and China. Canada and the EU. Only the weakest countries, which are those controlled by the worst of the worst, will gladly sign on. The US government is now openly a global extortion racket.
Dumbass is doing his damnedest to start WWIII, complete with nuclear warheads.
Craig
Yep, that was it.
Do we need any more proof that senility has set in?
Jack
This might explain some of the over the top economic bluster going on.
From my Axios news letter.
This is shaping up to be a seismic week for global economic policy. The world’s central bankers are gathering Thursday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and G20 finance ministers will meet Saturday in Asheville, North Carolina
Jack
Canada
Soccer fans boo U.S. anthem as Canadians react to breakdown in trade negotiations
Many who spoke to CBC News back Carney’s decision to exit talks, despite new tariffs
Sending the military to fix Wall Street? Trump’s proposed “ultimate solution” for the bond market is pure absurdity:
Craig
those bond traders had better watch out, ICE will be dragging their butts to some secret prison in North Dakota.
I had to laugh at that video, such a rediculous answer for a President.
I guess it is one of those “it hurts too much to cry” moments.
Jack
The answer from Google this morning of 150,000 race fans has been downgraded to 140,000. Forbes.
[…]
The Race Drew A 140,000-Strong Crowd
On the plus side, the event itself was well attended. According to official metrics provided by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and event organizers, daily crowd sizes reached approximately 140,000 attendees for each day of the race weekend, which injected millions into the local D.C. economy. And to put his stamp of approval on the entire race weekend, President Trump did a āvictory lapā around his contrived track in the Beast limousine before waving the green flag.
[…]
As the article notes, that’s based on info from the mayor’s office, which magically is the same as the estimate Muriel put out before (IOW – they don’t know). Notable is that it cost $35 to produce the race, sponsored by Penske and unnamed other corporate sponsors.
The article’s author, Peter Lyon, is a racing enthusiast and he termed it as “excessive, disruptive, inappropriate and tone-deaf.” and…
But in the world of motor racing, an eventās meaning and very existence is put into question when half the field fails to finish, as we saw in D.C. over the weekend. While the race itself was a spectacle to be sure, only 13 out of 25 cars managed to complete the race thanks to the punishing nature of the hastily built temporary street circuit, unforgiving concrete walls and barriers, tight 90-degree bends and aggressive driver decisions. Leading up to the race, even those involved admitted the track design invited disaster. An interview with IndyCar officials published by The New York Times noted that five of the course’s seven turns were sharp right angles packed into a dense urban layout. [And he didn’t mention the raised crosswalks that caused at least 2 crashes in practice and qualifying]
To realize his Freedom 250 race, Trump shut down Ronald Reagan airport, cut a 1.7-mile-long race track through the heart of D.C., closed road access to the nationās capital to achieve that goal for over a month, put up a massive 3-story-high banner of his face on the Department of Labor building and cleverly managed funding from various sources to stage the event. The race itself reportedly cost around $35 million, mostly financed by Penske and corporate sponsors.
But it unfolded within a much larger, publicly supported Freedom 250 program that received up to $100 million in federal funding, while race-related police, fire and security costs were drawn from a separate $90 million special events fund. The precise amount ultimately borne by taxpayers for the Grand Prix has not been disclosed.
Oh, and his mention that Trump closed Reagan National was undoubtedly so he could have the multiple flyovers Poobah mentioned yesterday without putting more civilian aircraft into the Potomac.
This 70’s protest song popped up on my 100 song play list.
Fits our current problem, at least for me.
Shut down a major airport and disrupted the month for DC residents? What did that cost? Not that anybody will bother to tally it up.
*sigh*
Jack
Peggers, God Bless āer pointy lilā head
Iām thinking about the deeper effects of governmental corruption in the Trump era, and why it leaves many not only indignant but uneasy. I suspect itās doing something to us as a people. The thoughts were prompted by a poll this week from Reuters/Ipsos, which Reuters headlined āMost Americans Believe Trump Has Inappropriately Profited Since Returning to Power.ā It reported that 69% of respondents see his personal business interests as influencing presidential decisions. Two-thirds of independents, half of Republicans and 9 in 10 Democrats shared that view.
Republicans, God bless them, were split on whether graft under Mr. Trump has gotten worse or better or stayed the same, which makes that polling question a case study in how bright people are capable of not seeing what they donāt want to see.
Pog, is Forbes, like NBC this morning, also relying on the mayor’s 140k crowd prediction 3 days before the event (attached here)? From what I have found her office and DC police have gone silent on the numbers since the event.
Here’s all she posted afterward:
“A beautiful day in Washington, DC for the Freedom 250 IndyCar Grand Prix, and with an iconic backdrop. We’re proud to host visitors from all around the world to experience all the Sports Capital has to offer. ” And a huge congrats to @KKirkwoodRacing for winning the first-ever DC Grand Prix!
*Dumbass tried to dump Argentina beef in the US last year, and undercut ranchers here, and it did not fly.
āNCBAās family farmers and ranchers have numerous concerns with importing more Argentinian beef to lower prices for consumers. This plan only creates chaos at a critical time of the year for American cattle producers, while doing nothing to lower grocery store prices,ā said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall.
Argentina also has a history of foot-and-mouth disease, which, if brought to the United States, could decimate our domestic livestock production.ā
*A few months ago, China rejected Argentinian beef due to processing with a banned substance in the EU and US (unless MAHA Robby says itās an OK chemical now).
China suspended new shipments from the Buenos Aires plant, while the Argentine government seeks to limit the scope of the decision to prevent the restriction from extending to other shipments in transit.
who could have predicted 5 90Ā° turns in short succession was a bad idea
Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with very high bacteriostatic action potential that has been used in veterinary and human medicine. Due to massive side effects, its use in human medicine is now severely restricted. Since 1994, chlorampenicol has been banned in the EU for use in food-producing animals.
The ban is based on the suspicion that chloramphenicol can cause aplastic anemia (reduction/cessation of blood cell production by the bone marrow) in humans, as well as evidence of possible embryo/fetotoxicity and reproductive toxicity.
Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is not approved for use in food producing animals and has been prohibited from extra-label uses in food producing animals in the United States
(U.S.).
Use of the antibiotic in humans, in the U.S., is reserved for treatment of certain serious, potentially life-threatening infections.
Chloramphenicol is suspected to be a carcinogen and potentially affect the reproductive system in humans.
Not that the International Olympic Committee is any less corrupt than FIFA, but the Olympics involves more countries, so if they are worth their salt they will move the 2028 games out of the US. Oh, Canada?
Daily Mirror got a human lip reader for yesterday’s seemingly tense Trump/Melania moment.
She started the chat by saying: “Thatās the problem, people react.” He replied: “We’ll knock it off.”. Then, Melania apparently said in a “snappy” tone: “Are you?” The next section of the video was undecipherable, before Melania was seemingly spotted saying: “It happened two times.” Donald then replied: “I know”, to which Melania finished with a cutting remark: “I can’t take anymore.”
Barron Threats
This was reported around the same time they were having that conversation…
Iran state TV airs threat against Trumpās son Barron … Iran broadcast a segment describing efforts to reach President Donald Trumpās son Barron and referring to a $10 million reward, an unusually explicit threat against a member of the US presidentās immediate family.
This is why normalizing assassination has long been against our policy. We deliberately killed the Iranian leader’s father, apparently maimed him too, so anything goes.
Gov. Greg Abbott has asked a federal judge to reject Minnesotaās effort to force the extradition of an immigration officer arrested in Texas, saying he has āserious concernsā whether the officer is actually a fugitive from justice.
Abbott said state officials are still investigating whether Christian Castro, who is being held in Cameron County Jail, can be classified as a fugitive because he didnāt flee Minnesota but was apparently reassigned to Texas by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
*So, ICE aided and abetted.
Minnesota is also seeking a court order keeping Castro in custody beyond Thursday for fear he would āflee and avoid prosecution.ā In Texas, people awaiting extradition cannot be held longer than 90 days. Castro was arrested in Cameron County on May 29 on a warrant issued by a Minnesota court.
The Supreme Court has paused a lower court’s ruling that blocked key directives from President Trump’s executive order to restrict mail-in voting for this fall’s midterm election in about two dozen states and Washington, D.C.
But with the start of absentee voting for the midterms just weeks away, legal and practical hurdles loom over whether the U.S. Postal Service and other federal agencies can finish carrying out Trump’s directives.
Released Monday, the order marks the latest court action in the legal fight over Trump’s March order ā one of many efforts he has made to try to exert control over how elections are run.
All of our voting in Colorado is by mail. You can show up in person, by why would you? Iām waiting to learn if our ballots will even be delivered or will I have to schlep to the courthouse to get one?
This is why Trump normalizing political assassination was a bad idea. Bring your take: 11am ET Tuesday.
Paxton on Monday pledged to ban Chinese technology from U.S. data centers and hold companies criminally liable if their data centers power AI chatbots that endanger children if elected to the Senate.
*Zuckerberg and Musk and Altman are not Chinese.
He also backed the DATA Act, a bill by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, that would let data centers build off-the-grid power systems exempt from federal regulation, and to champion Gov. Greg Abbottās state-level regulatory push ā including a repeal of the industryās sales tax exemptions, among āother outdated incentives,ā per the plan. He also said he would back a ban on AI data centers in rural Texas, which Abbott has also floated on the campaign trail.
*Repealing tax incentives and banning data centers in rural areas is not what they were campaigning on until they started feeling the blowback.
The two Senate candidates are backing similar policy regulations: requiring water systems that donāt guzzle nearly as much of the resource, getting the industry to pay its own infrastructure costs, and terminating the tax breaks. However, as a freshman state senator in 2013, Paxton voted for the data center sales tax exemption that helped spark the industryās boom in Texas ā a break the state comptroller now projects will cost $3.2 billion in revenue over the next two years.
Paxtonās announcement caps a monthslong stretch of silence on the front that exploded into the center of the campaign.
Talarico pressed Paxton over a request from Hood County, a rural community southwest of Fort Worth where developers have proposed eight data centers spanning more than 7,600 acres. County officials there asked the attorney generalās office in February whether the county could impose a moratorium on data center development. Six months later, the opinion is still without a decision, and NOTUS reported this month that Paxtonās political operation has taken in nearly $450,000 from data-center affiliated donors.
āKen Paxton has taken nearly half a million dollars from the data center industry, voted to flood Texas with data centers by giving them billions in tax handouts, and has refused to use his power as attorney general to respond to Texansā requests to block data center development in their communities,ā Talarico said in a statement Monday.
āNow heās scared his ties to big data center companies will lose him the election, so heās making a sad attempt to reverse course by releasing a plan he literally used AI to make.ā
Paxton used similar language in his statement on the planās release to jab āTalarico and his campaign infrastructureā that āaccept millions of dollars from data center-affiliated donors.ā
Reid Hoffman, LinkedInās co-founder and an outspoken advocate of expanding data centers to edge out China, has given $10 million to Lone Star Rising, the super PAC supporting Talarico.
*Oooop, thereās Reid Hoffman, again, the guy Pam Bondi accused Senator Whitehouse of taking a donation from.
(Itās like, hey, could you go take poo in the opponentās bath water so he looks dirty, too?)
Beto OāRourke refused/returned PAC donations, and so should Talarico.
Anon, you are dead right about the lack of foresight in the course planning. What you seldom see in road courses is a course laid out in a city that consists of parallel streets at right angles with other parallel streets with an occasional diagonal street truncating that pattern, and for good reason. Throw in the raised pedestrian walkways and the passing opportunities become almost nonexistent, but of course you’re aware of that. Factor in the narrow streets and predictability of the number and length of pit stops and you’ll see some shuffling in the field, but with Indy cars, which are much more standardized than F1s, or for that matter any other racing class, track width and curves being where the passing opportunities arise, early track position is a pretty good predicter of finish order (minus pit fuckups, penalties, wrecks and mechanical failures). Alex Palou and Scott McLaughlin are good examples of that.
it was the dumbest of times, it was the dumbest of times
It was the epoch of stupidity, It was epoch of stupidity.
Joyce Alene
@JoyceWhiteVance
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If, as appears to be the case, the Court has only ruled on the blue state AG’s case, the nationwide injunction in the case brought by the League of Women Voters would still stand, at least for now.
I’m not seeing huge significance in this ruling. The Court lifted one injunction covering 23 states and D.C. on standing issues, not on the merits. But a separate nationwide injunction remains in force.
A small effect of the Canadian refusal to drink American Bourbon and Rye Whiskey is the great sales on those here in the U.S. It is sometimes around thirty percent (at the stores I frequent).
It is time to fight for: 1) where is Mitch’s grave; 2) do we have to pay the divorce settlement of sfb and the pole stripper; 3) why are Jefferies and Schumer still the leaders of the (former) Democratic Party.
You mean you hate what king fucko is ātryingā to do to Canada. Mark Carney aināt no foolā¦..heās kicking fuckoās ass all over town and heās just getting started. Iāve been following the whole process with Canadaā¦..fucko is in for a big surprise.
Fucko aināt got a chance against a guy who actually thinks about things.
lol
Love Doug Ford up in Canada, too. The rest of the world needs to stay strong and build new ties to avoid the US.
Dumbass will isolate us like NK instead of becoming king oā thuh whirled.
Bessent is such a weasel. Everything he just accused other countries of (because they are not engaging in the USrael war against Iran) is a projection of the US actions.
*In case anyone wants to yeah-but-Iran-is-cruel to folks; look at whatās happening in US concentration camps and in US streets to kidnap those folks to put them there. Alsoā¦
ICE and Iran worked together to deport Iranians from U.S., newly released emails show
Hundreds of emails exchanged between U.S. immigration officials, which were obtained by the National Iranian American Council and made public Tuesday, offer the most transparent play by play yet of how the two countries worked together to arrange for more than 100 Iranians to be flown back to Iran on three separate immigration flights in September and December 2025 and January 2026.
The emails show that Iranian officials had some influence over which Iranian immigrants in the U.S. were sent back to their home country, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials apparently heeded some last-minute changes to deportation lists at the request of Iran.
The new emails highlight a clear departure from a decades-long practice by the U.S. of welcoming Iranian dissidents, exiles and others since the 1979 Islamic Revolution forced a large number of Iranians to flee.
At least one person was deported who wasn’t supposed to be, emails showed.
Emails suggest that pressure to carry out the Iranian deportations came from the highest levels of the Trump administration, even when U.S. and Israel were exchanging strikes with Iran in a 12-day conflict between June 13 and June 24, 2025.
Just days after Trump’s June 16 warning on social media that “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” the former acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, called the repatriation of Iranian immigrants a “priority” in an email sent to the agency’s head of removal operations Marcos Charles and a number of unnamed staff.
Shortly after Lyon’s email, Charles forwarded the message to a group of officials whose names are redacted. An unnamed ICE official responded, warning that “removal will prove difficult” amid the ongoing conflict because Iran wasn’t issuing the travel documents for Iranians eligible for deportation. On top of that, the Iranian airspace was closed to all flights during the bombings and Iranians were fleeing the country.
Charles was unfazed, telling staff in a subsequent email to make a plan to deport 58 Iranians with final removal orders in ICE custody at the time.
“We need a plan forward ASAP,” Charles wrote. Another official, who name was redacted, urged colleagues to “identify a solution for this White House priority.”
*So, when Dumbass or one of his proxies like Bessent wring their hands about the terrible regime in Iran, turn an look at the US and realize that this was in Project 2025, not all of the project had been completed, and Project Esther is also under way.
You know, Iāve always kinda thought the Fuggoās bankruption of casinos is some kind of sly mob-like move designed to make money out of itā¦.but the more I see of just how stupid this guy is, wellā¦.Im beginning to think heās actually so utterly insensate that he actually just broke 3 casinos. Thats Twilight Zone stupid right there.
MN Spiderman is in the culture now. 58k likes on this one.
āIt was the dumbest of timesā¦it was the epoch of stupidity.ā Anon, itās even worse than that.
Willful ignorance (or feigning it) for a chance to line their pockets.
It was the greediest of times, it was the extinction burstiest of times.
Added street corn to our left-over Ropa Vieja. That batch yielded two meals plus some for the freezer.
Sturg – Thatās why he was a perfect mark for the Russians (and others); he was a big loser. Darn that Mark Burnett for giving him a TV show.
By the way, Burnett is now United States Special Envoy to the United Kingdomā¦perhaps to keep the stuff they didnāt/couldnāt air under wraps.
Why would a proclaimed Christian and his wife align with an adjudicated rapist, alleged pedophile, and (based on the Epstein files) a creep who auctioned off little girls?
Look what just arrived!
CNN reporting they finally got around to charging the Air Force officer who protested, apparently throwing everything at him.
Busy day, all posts acknowledged
š
The accuracy of my verbiage is being questioned, so that is to say I read the posts
Private equity killed Walgreens:
Wall Street vultures gut local pharmacies. Find a local option before your meds get held hostage.
š½ļø From today’s Digital Diner menu
Just flat irritated. On another media place I just dealt with more of the phony nostalgia movement. This time it was the early sixties and how things were so much better back than. Prices were low, people were friendly, it was so magical and wonderful. And, completely balony.
Prices were low. One example was how pork chops were sixty cents per pound. A quick check shows that would be six dollars and sixty cents today. Cars were big, no they were not, that was later and more expensive. Child abuse was not only hidden, it was allowed, including belt whipping and spanking in schools. Punishment of children does not bring respect. The big one is how wonderful everything was socially.
Unstated and ignored was segregation, racial discrimination and worse. But, I think this is what these people are going for. Magat life of white supremacy, xtian nationalism, anti-woman and anti-LGBTQ.
I am not against looking back and putting things in a soft light. Visiting my grandparents. Life raising my chickens,, rabbits and whatevers. Eating my chickens, rabbits and whatevers, yes I grew up as grandchild to farmers and that is life. But, it is nice looking through my rose tinted glasses, inherited from my great-grandmother.
We have to be realistic that life almost eighty years ago is not the same s today. In normal administrations we have year around food, not just seasonal in America. We would have low priced products because balancing everything, engineering parts labor materials, it is a global operation and prices would be stable and low.
Nostalgia is good but reality has to fit too.
You nailed it BB. “Make America Great Again” is just a marketing slogan for people who flunked history.
šš» Spanked in grade one for coloring a cat the wrong color (aka not following directions) and not being able to fix it (yellow crayon on top of black crayon turns army green, and itās impossible to scrape off the original color); yanked into a supply room and spanked with a ruler on my bare legs (girls werenāt allowed to wear pants until grade six, and then it was only under your dress in the winter). Fully liberated to pants and top (no tees) in Junior High.
Iād suggest every broadcast network air āPleasantvilleā simultaneously, but it would be lost on MAGAts. Someone in this house remarked that June and Ward Cleaver were bickering; it kind of broke their illusion of complete, female subservience.
lol do support trauma dumps
fuck those people ā
Yes, I look back fondly on the outhouse blowing over in a blizzard and laughing with my grandmother. I look back even more fondly of the day we got an indoor toilet, which was actually during a snowstorm which turned into a blizzard; debate tournament canceled, too, so it was a great day for me. You know how I hate to argue. LoL
Secret Service just confirmed the Barron threat to NBC. It has taken all day for American media to catch up to this story. Has been headline news everywhere else.
Dumbass brings out the worst in most everyone, including me. Iād swear I was at least a wee bit nicer at one time. Maybe it was just CERN opening up a tiny black hole to let the ick into this timeline. Yeah, Iām sure thatās it.
Are we sure it was Iran?
BiBi?
Maybe USreal (now that we seem to have entered into some unholy and unconstitutional merger) in order to get folks used to the idea of, as Leaky Pete would probably put it, use maximum lethality and give Dumbass his wet dream of using a nuke?
Is this a ploy to get lapsing MAGAts to rally āround the flag-humper?
Whatever. If true, something about the sins of the father being visited on the son, or something like that.
Clearly, Iām not buying it yet.
ps – Release the Epstein files.
The pro-Abdul ad here features his grandparents. They go on about his accomplishments and say that they raised him. He appears at the end of the ad and says, “I approve the HECK out of this message!” His grandmother replies, “Language!”
US launches āOperation Economic Outcastā to cut Iranās economic lifeline
*Who comes up with these ridiculous names? Actually, it sounds like the US is projecting its own economic situation.
ps – I found no report of said video on Al Jazeeraās website. Remember, the SS works for Dumbass, and seemed to be in on the WHCD shenanigans, oh, and the fake event in Butler, PA. Hmmm, and didnāt the SS want to spirit Mike Pence away from the Capitol on J6, and he knew enough not to get in the vehicle? Never let your captors take you to a second location.
Glad to know they’re running that one, Corey. It’s one of their best. Reminds me how Obama team first ran ads in white Iowa about his white grandparents. Thanks for the ad watch! Come talk to us in the chatroom sometime.
Abdulās Grandma Judy is a gem! I love the beginning of the ad because it surely gets the attention of folks who look like her who think everyone who doesnāt look like them is illegal or a terrorist.
Looking into who put up that 3-minute broadcast, because it couldāve been Israel or USrael.
Iranian State TV ran the $10 million reward video yesterday, BiD. White House has actually been trying to suppress the story. — The Independent | Euronews
The Jerusalem Post reported that one supposed associate identified in the Iranian segment appeared to be a fabricated profile, undermining the presentation of the programās information as reliable intelligence.
The program alleged that a woman had managed to get through security, meet privately with Barron and provide information to the programās creators. Euronews said it could not independently verify the claim.
Euronews and other outlets said they could not independently verify that an actual bounty had been formally established.
The Video Used Highly Stylized Imagery Rather Than Providing Evidence Of An Actual Operation. Iran International reported that the program relied heavily on dramatized graphics depicting surveillance and efforts to penetrate Barronās protection but did not offer evidence that anyone working for Iran had successfully reached him.
*It would be incredibly stupid for Iran to air this. I mean, itās so stupid that itās like something the US wouldāve done.
Trump world seems embarrassed by how it makes them look vulnerable. And it reinforces criticism that abandoning our policy against political assassination would lead to just this sort of thing. Once the story is out Trump will want to play the martyr but I’d bet Melania won’t let him.
Hard to believe we hijacked Iranian TV to air something we spent all day trying to get US media to ignore
My guess whatever faction inside Iran did this knew how much it would trigger Melania. She might be the only one who can make dumbass stop this stupid war.
What did they expect when they kicked a hornetsā nest full of terrorists?
Donald Trump credits himself for Freedom 250 race then sits surrounded by Melania and Natalie Harp, whose loyalty sparks debate
First Lady Melania Trump and close presidential aide Natalie Harp both attended the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, August 23, triggering intense public and social media scrutiny over their proximity.
did they have a three-way afterwards or was Melania not invited?
they each took a swollen ankle lol sry
trailmix after hours
Just donāt understand what Iran gets from doing that, but definitely see what USrael could get out of it. Hmmm, what better way to look like itās on the up&up than to pretend it was sensitive intel. If you wanted someone to know something but didnāt want it to look like you were the instigator, thatās how youād do it.
Quadruple feature suggestion:
āMean Girls,ā āDrop Dead Gorgeous,ā Election,ā āTo Die For.ā
canāt dismiss that kind of speculation after the pager-bomb operation, who knows
and after the israeli-contrived scare in turkey
with friends like thatā¦
Ha! and ick! Looks like Nat probably had both of those cankles all to herself later on.
āAnother widely dissected clip showed Melania sitting next to Donald in the booth. After the president appeared to reach over and touch her leg, Melania stood up and walked away roughly 12 seconds later.ā
I don’t see how Israel or the US could broadcast on Iranian State TV. And Iran hasn’t disavowed responsibility.
Trump hit Canada with 50 percent tariffs, and Canada responded by threatening to cut off the power
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday that Canada should be prepared to cut off electricity and critical minerals to the United States if the trade fight with Trump keeps escalating. He said it in an interview with the Associated Press, two days after Trumpās 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods took effect. Ontario powers 1.5 million homes and businesses in the US, Ford said, everything is on the table, and he will do whatever it takes. If Trump keeps trying to dismantle Canadian manufacturing, Ford said, he better have a pack of batteries.
Ford floated raising electricity prices or stopping exports south, and that is where it stands.
More than 35 major transmission lines cross the border, along with 70 oil and gas pipelines. Canada supplied 62 percent of American crude oil imports in 2024. In some form, all 50 states benefit from that energy relationship.
*Please, Mr. Ford, if you could cut off power to the data centers in the US, weād appreciate it.
Iād like to see confirmation and investigation from Al Jazeera. (Words I never thought Iād type.)
no one picks their father, this is all awful, Congress could end it in a day
“I need the cameras off the president right now. Cameras off the president right now,” a man can be heard instructing the cameraperson. “Turn the cameras. Just turn the cameras. We’ve asked you to turn the cameras off the presidential suite.” It comes after a lip reader exposed Trump’s tense chat with Melania amid the leaked letters scandal.
A pool camera operator broadcasting the presidential suite live during the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D. C was told to stop filming Donald and Melania Trump after they were caught in the middle of what appeared to be a noticeably tense exchange.
The camera operator explained that she was a pool videographer recording a livestream for multiple outlets, including CNN, Fox News and Gannett, reports the Mirror US.
“I understand that. We’ve asked you to turn the cameras off of the presidential suite, and we’ll be with you in a moment,” the man responds before leaving. The camera shifts upward but focuses on the racing Indy cars.
It’s not clear from the video who the man works for.
Melania Trump stands up from seat and leaves Donald’s side as Natalie Harp demands president’s attention
The race was the 15th of a total 18 races taking place this year as part of IndyCar’s season. The racing course passes directly through landmarks, like the National Archives Building, the National Gallery of Art, and three Smithsonian museums: Air and Space, American Indian, and American History. Meanwhile, Harp was spotted lurking just behind a seemingly oblivious Melania in a bizarre moment.
*** We have no shortage of bizarre in the US
āI miss the days when you used to call, during my talkshow days, and weād talk about everything and nothing,ā Harp wrote. āI want to get back to that synergy. We shouldnāt have to talk about work all the time!!ā
In the same letter, Harp added, āAnd please, when I fail, will you tell me? You have the absolute right to cuss me out, if need be, when I deserve it, because no one knows or cares about me more.ā
In the same letter, Harp added, āAnd please, when I fail, will you tell me? You have the absolute right to cuss me out, if need be, when I deserve it, because no one knows or cares about me more.ā
South of Eden by Jesse Welles Aug 23, 2026
I limped out of paradise
with a half eaten peach
a snake on my head
and a curse on my feet
three years no water
three years without food
three years in the desert
with nothing to do
hope was stupid
dumb and naive
in those days there were no kings
I went from village to village
and I heard all their tales
reasons for suffering
reasons for failure
success is a diamond
it’s for one man to keep
but failure’s communal
we all get a drink
the things you think you possess you can keep
in those days there were no kings
everything you’ve ever heard
is just a feeling put to words
the grass is green
the sky is blue
and that’s the best that they could
all of humanity sings
“everyone’s a fool but me”
I came to a river
and the trees grew so high
there were people down there
they were mostly kind
and they were drunk
and laying in bed
comfort’s so cruel
she’ll strangle you dead
it’s hard to swim where they teach you to sink
and in those days there were no kings
Canada’s Mark Carney has a message to all Americans: this madness is on you if you don’t do something. Let’s do something in November. Send the whole world a message: we will fix this.
Attribution: Flexing Maple Leaf on Canadian Flag by Bill Day, politicalcartoons.com
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/aug/24/europe-ukraine-russia
Andy Burnham arrives in Ukraine with plans to share UK blueprints for long-range missiles ā Europe live
Kremlin warns move would āadd fuel to fireā in British-Russian relations, as UK PM visits capital ahead of coalition of the willing meeting
Burnham compares Ukraine’s war against Russia to Britain’s fight against Nazi Germany and vows continued support despite ‘outrageous’ threats from Moscow
During the ceremony in central Kyiv, Britainās prime minister Andy Burnham compared Ukraineās resistance against Russia to Britainās fights against Nazi Germany, and vowed to help Kyiv bolster its air defences ahead of the winter, PA reported.
āMy nation kept the flame of European freedom alive in the 20th century, you hold that flame in the 21st,ā Burnham said in a speech in front of St Sophia cathedral in Kyiv to mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraineās independence.
āDespite Russiaās outrageous threats to my country, we will continue our support for Ukraine.ā
Burnham also praised āthe sheer strengthā of the Ukrainian people, and insisted āthis is the moment to keep up the pressure on Russia, the moment to squeeze their ability to fund this illegal warā.
If youāre following our stream, keep watching: given the delay, Burnhamās speech will be coming up soon.
Bid, you mentioned yesterday that the race in DC looked poorly attended. There were about 150000 people attending. Not a bad showing, about on par for a big car race in the US. F1 races in Europe draw 300k – 400k over the 3 days of the event, depending on the trackās spectator capacity. The British Grand Prix is the most well attended, with 500,000 people attending over the weekend
So why is a pro-Israel Republican Senate nominee asking AIPAC to stay away from his campaign?
My morning Substack š
I noticed local news last night wasn’t quoting those official crowd estimates — maybe they finally figured out Trump world lies about that. All I heard in the local coverage was “thousands” in attendance. DC police has offered no estimate so far.
I have felt sorry for them in my chats around the neighborhood. They didn’t say anything this direct, of course, but it’s obvious they are really uncomfortable.
NPR: Inside the National Guard D.C. deployment
āthousandsā in attendance
craig, how much of that includes nat’l guard, park service, Cap Police, SS and ICE as well as the local cops?
I noticed NBC News this morning quoted Mayor Bowser estimating 140,000. But the link on their website points to a tweet she wrote 20 days ago predicting the crowd size.
Our Spiderman has been identified and has a gofundmgofundme for legal fees.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19HhVNs398/
Go Spider Man
Our allies rightly blame Americans, not just Trump, for the global chaos.
We must fix this in November. šŗšø
He Waited For His Son To Return From The USS Lincoln. Then Border Patrol Arrested Him.
More at link
A few thoughts wandering through my precoffee brain
AIPAC took tactics that worked well in national/eastcoast politics to the heartland and they fell flat on their face. They are obviously outsiders trying to influence what most consider a local election. Notice how many elections in this cycle, where obvious outside money was used as a rallying cry for the person being attacked.
Platner in Maine is a good example, National Democratic spending against him did more harm to the spenders than it did against Platner. He used the obvious outside interference to his advantage. The same thing happened with AIPAC in Michigan.
2 thoughts:
Nobody wants outsiders sticking their nose in “our business”. and big money is not necessarily smart money.
Jack
MNTCU coming!
https://wapo.st/3SrqTRB 8/24/26
Secret White House bunker undercuts Trumpās ballroom lawsuit, ex-officials say
The White House already has a nuclear-proof facility buried deep underground and built in secret after 9/11.
By Noah Robertson and Dan Diamond
President Donald Trump has claimed that the White House needs a massive new ballroom because it would provide him and future presidents with a secure, hardened facility. But former officials say the argument fails to acknowledge that the presidential complex already has one.
More than a decade ago, federal officials built a highly protected bunker, embedded deep underground, that can shelter the president and his top aides in a national security emergency, according to three former officials.
The facility, which was secretly completed during the Obama administration, can house dozens of people for up to multiple weeks, two former officials said. Itās buried more than 60 feet underneath the White House complex and built to withstand a nuclear blast, two of the officials said, ensuring the president and his team have a secure command center to run the country in times of extreme duress.
The bunkerās existence, the former officials said, undercuts the Trump administrationās emerging legal argument in the ongoing lawsuit over the $600 million ballroom complexās construction: that the facility must be completed due to its significance for U.S. national security.
The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss elements of the secretive facility, some of which have not been previously reported.
The Washington Post is withholding some details of the bunker and its construction in order to not compromise sensitive White House security protocols. [continues]
Another thought. after reading this WaPo article.
Americans don’t vote for losers. Ya gotta be a winner to get our vote.
With the war in Iran Trump is quickly becoming a loser in American’s eyes. AIPAC is closely tied to the failed war, As is Israel.
Jack
Katie – Do we know who funds Jake Langās escapades (vehicles, travel, security detail) and/or his legal fees?
Cops protecting him and that official-looking SUV behind him, using the cross and the US flag to cosplay Christianity and patriotismā¦it made me wonder if our tax dollars are funding this garbage.
Nothing to see here. Don’t look …
Best thing I can think of to put on that green (screen) starter flag tRUMP was waving is an arrow pointing to him that says āIām in the Epstein files & sold little girls.ā Or, if itās an action video, make his a N&zi flag.
By the way, that was the worst colour guard performance ever. No more flags for you, ~Sir~
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Our daily Digital Diner podcast airs 11-Noon ET on YouTube. ENTER Chatroom Here. WATCH Current Replay Here.
What is Actually Clicking: August 24, 2026
— Human Prompted and Edited. Machine Drafted (Gemini Pro).
These are the stories driving the most traffic right nowānot necessarily the stories we think you should read, and not always the most recent. Sign Up Here to receive daily briefs.
i hate what king fucker is doing to Canada
impeach the bastard yesterday
i also blame americans
the new trumper line is āi didnāt know he would do all this when i voted for himā
yeah you did
Today in the Diner…
Mark Carney Warns Canada: America Wants To Break Us
Mark Carney warns Canada that America intends to break them. Plus, Sid Miller attacks Greg Abbott over Texas data centers and Ken Paxton drama.
We are serving up a massive plate of political dysfunction today at the Digital Diner. Up north, Mark Carney is issuing a stark warning to Canada that Donald Trump and the American political machine intend to break their economy to own it. It is a sobering look at how our closest allies view the current state of our Democracy. Meanwhile, Pete Buttigieg is spending his weekend trying to win over voters in South Carolina, though a trip to Gary Indiana might have been a better use of his time given the massive power outages being ignored by the national media.
Down in Texas, the infighting is getting loud. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is publicly calling out Governor Greg Abbott for his sudden flip-flop on data centers, demanding a special session before the midterm elections. If that was not enough Lone Star State drama, James Talarico has a new line of attack against Ken Paxton over his record on animal abusers, launching the viral Puppies for Talarico campaign.
Finally, we track the ongoing collapse of Walgreens at the hands of private equity, discuss the frightening ICE retaliation against a sailor on the USS Lincoln, and try to decode whatever JD Vance was talking about during his baffling Ohio rally.
Live Chat: https://trailmix.cc/chat
Website: https://trailmix.cc
Alerts: https://trailmix.cc/alerts
00:00 Intro
00:05 Mark Carney Warns Canada on Trump
09:27 Sid Miller Attacks Greg Abbott
12:44 William Love Spider-Man Arrest
15:30 USS Lincoln Sailor ICE Retaliation
23:38 Walgreens Private Equity Collapse
31:58 Pete Buttigieg in South Carolina
36:08 JD Vance Ohio Rally Confusion
58:56 James Talarico vs Ken Paxton
— Human directed and edited. Machine drafted (Gemini Pro).
For all the robots on live today, an old movie: Real Steel
lol we need to arrange a meeting between Hugh Jackman and his biggest fan
Is this who you were talking about, Jamie? I like her segments “Hot Takes, Cold Facts”:
Craig,
Yes that’s Katherine Hayhoe. I’ve been following her for years. She’s almost looks like a right wing dream (religious, married to a pastor, conservative in her politics most of the time) except for one little detail: She is a climate scientist who really knows her stuff and doesn’t take any nonsense from anyone on the subject. If you need a usable argument, she is a great resource.
Here’s what you referred to Jack? Invade Wall Street!
Reporter: “The yields have come back up since Bessent’s initial intervention in the bond market. Have you talked to him about another type of intervention? Is that something he will be doing?”
Trump replied, “We have many types of intervention. That’s one. The ultimate intervention is our military, and if we have to use that, we will.“
Bessent just announced our next unilateral move, which could put us in a trade war with everybody. Telling allies they must choose between our market and Iran puts everyone in a corner. If they refuse to comply, we either impose crushing tariffs and invite massive retaliation, or back down looking toothless..
today’s meme…
yup!
Military action to push the bond market up?
Is he confusing Bessent buying back our debt (because nobody else thinks the US is a good/reliable risk/investment) and somehow connecting that with buying war bonds?
Acting like mobsters (because thatās how the regime operates) isnāt going to fly. Mexico and China. Canada and the EU. Only the weakest countries, which are those controlled by the worst of the worst, will gladly sign on. The US government is now openly a global extortion racket.
Dumbass is doing his damnedest to start WWIII, complete with nuclear warheads.
Craig
Yep, that was it.
Do we need any more proof that senility has set in?
Jack
This might explain some of the over the top economic bluster going on.
From my Axios news letter.
Jack
Canada
Soccer fans boo U.S. anthem as Canadians react to breakdown in trade negotiations
Many who spoke to CBC News back Carney’s decision to exit talks, despite new tariffs
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadians-react-carney-trump-tariffs-9.7317664?_bhlid=2f5a7a3934243610648984046e15f1149ebd8fc8
Sending the military to fix Wall Street? Trump’s proposed “ultimate solution” for the bond market is pure absurdity:
Craig
those bond traders had better watch out, ICE will be dragging their butts to some secret prison in North Dakota.
I had to laugh at that video, such a rediculous answer for a President.
I guess it is one of those “it hurts too much to cry” moments.
Jack
The answer from Google this morning of 150,000 race fans has been downgraded to 140,000. Forbes.
As the article notes, that’s based on info from the mayor’s office, which magically is the same as the estimate Muriel put out before (IOW – they don’t know). Notable is that it cost $35 to produce the race, sponsored by Penske and unnamed other corporate sponsors.
The article’s author, Peter Lyon, is a racing enthusiast and he termed it as “excessive, disruptive, inappropriate and tone-deaf.” and…
Oh, and his mention that Trump closed Reagan National was undoubtedly so he could have the multiple flyovers Poobah mentioned yesterday without putting more civilian aircraft into the Potomac.
This 70’s protest song popped up on my 100 song play list.
Fits our current problem, at least for me.
Shut down a major airport and disrupted the month for DC residents? What did that cost? Not that anybody will bother to tally it up.
*sigh*
Jack
Peggers, God Bless āer pointy lilā head
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-art-of-the-self-deal-6cf57c5a
Pog, is Forbes, like NBC this morning, also relying on the mayor’s 140k crowd prediction 3 days before the event (attached here)? From what I have found her office and DC police have gone silent on the numbers since the event.
Here’s all she posted afterward:
“A beautiful day in Washington, DC for the Freedom 250 IndyCar Grand Prix, and with an iconic backdrop. We’re proud to host visitors from all around the world to experience all the Sports Capital has to offer. ” And a huge congrats to @KKirkwoodRacing for winning the first-ever DC Grand Prix!
https://www.beefmagazine.com/policy/producers-warn-against-argentinian-beef-imports
*Dumbass tried to dump Argentina beef in the US last year, and undercut ranchers here, and it did not fly.
āNCBAās family farmers and ranchers have numerous concerns with importing more Argentinian beef to lower prices for consumers. This plan only creates chaos at a critical time of the year for American cattle producers, while doing nothing to lower grocery store prices,ā said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall.
Argentina also has a history of foot-and-mouth disease, which, if brought to the United States, could decimate our domestic livestock production.ā
*A few months ago, China rejected Argentinian beef due to processing with a banned substance in the EU and US (unless MAHA Robby says itās an OK chemical now).
On March 19, the General Administration of Customs of China suspended a shipment of 22 tons of beef from the slaughterhouse ArreBeef in PƩrez MillƔn (Buenos Aires), after detecting the presence of chloramphenicol, an antibiotic banned in Argentine livestock production since 1995 due to its risks to human health.
China suspended new shipments from the Buenos Aires plant, while the Argentine government seeks to limit the scope of the decision to prevent the restriction from extending to other shipments in transit.
who could have predicted 5 90Ā° turns in short succession was a bad idea
lap 2 leader never losing position says it all
everything trump touches is done poorly
https://www.ages.at/en/human/nutrition-food/residues-contaminants-from-a-to-z/chloramphenicol
Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with very high bacteriostatic action potential that has been used in veterinary and human medicine. Due to massive side effects, its use in human medicine is now severely restricted. Since 1994, chlorampenicol has been banned in the EU for use in food-producing animals.
The ban is based on the suspicion that chloramphenicol can cause aplastic anemia (reduction/cessation of blood cell production by the bone marrow) in humans, as well as evidence of possible embryo/fetotoxicity and reproductive toxicity.
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/CMS_IA/importalert_29.html
Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is not approved for use in food producing animals and has been prohibited from extra-label uses in food producing animals in the United States
(U.S.).
Use of the antibiotic in humans, in the U.S., is reserved for treatment of certain serious, potentially life-threatening infections.
Chloramphenicol is suspected to be a carcinogen and potentially affect the reproductive system in humans.
Not that the International Olympic Committee is any less corrupt than FIFA, but the Olympics involves more countries, so if they are worth their salt they will move the 2028 games out of the US. Oh, Canada?
Daily Mirror got a human lip reader for yesterday’s seemingly tense Trump/Melania moment.
She started the chat by saying: “Thatās the problem, people react.” He replied: “We’ll knock it off.”. Then, Melania apparently said in a “snappy” tone: “Are you?” The next section of the video was undecipherable, before Melania was seemingly spotted saying: “It happened two times.” Donald then replied: “I know”, to which Melania finished with a cutting remark: “I can’t take anymore.”
Barron Threats
This was reported around the same time they were having that conversation…
Iran state TV airs threat against Trumpās son Barron … Iran broadcast a segment describing efforts to reach President Donald Trumpās son Barron and referring to a $10 million reward, an unusually explicit threat against a member of the US presidentās immediate family.
This is why normalizing assassination has long been against our policy. We deliberately killed the Iranian leader’s father, apparently maimed him too, so anything goes.
Report about the Barron threat…
Gov. Greg Abbott has asked a federal judge to reject Minnesotaās effort to force the extradition of an immigration officer arrested in Texas, saying he has āserious concernsā whether the officer is actually a fugitive from justice.
Abbott said state officials are still investigating whether Christian Castro, who is being held in Cameron County Jail, can be classified as a fugitive because he didnāt flee Minnesota but was apparently reassigned to Texas by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
*So, ICE aided and abetted.
Minnesota is also seeking a court order keeping Castro in custody beyond Thursday for fear he would āflee and avoid prosecution.ā In Texas, people awaiting extradition cannot be held longer than 90 days. Castro was arrested in Cameron County on May 29 on a warrant issued by a Minnesota court.
https://www.npr.org/2026/08/24/nx-s1-5909592/trump-mail-voting-order-supreme-court
All of our voting in Colorado is by mail. You can show up in person, by why would you? Iām waiting to learn if our ballots will even be delivered or will I have to schlep to the courthouse to get one?
This is why Trump normalizing political assassination was a bad idea. Bring your take: 11am ET Tuesday.
Paxton on Monday pledged to ban Chinese technology from U.S. data centers and hold companies criminally liable if their data centers power AI chatbots that endanger children if elected to the Senate.
*Zuckerberg and Musk and Altman are not Chinese.
He also backed the DATA Act, a bill by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, that would let data centers build off-the-grid power systems exempt from federal regulation, and to champion Gov. Greg Abbottās state-level regulatory push ā including a repeal of the industryās sales tax exemptions, among āother outdated incentives,ā per the plan. He also said he would back a ban on AI data centers in rural Texas, which Abbott has also floated on the campaign trail.
*Repealing tax incentives and banning data centers in rural areas is not what they were campaigning on until they started feeling the blowback.
The two Senate candidates are backing similar policy regulations: requiring water systems that donāt guzzle nearly as much of the resource, getting the industry to pay its own infrastructure costs, and terminating the tax breaks. However, as a freshman state senator in 2013, Paxton voted for the data center sales tax exemption that helped spark the industryās boom in Texas ā a break the state comptroller now projects will cost $3.2 billion in revenue over the next two years.
Paxtonās announcement caps a monthslong stretch of silence on the front that exploded into the center of the campaign.
Talarico pressed Paxton over a request from Hood County, a rural community southwest of Fort Worth where developers have proposed eight data centers spanning more than 7,600 acres. County officials there asked the attorney generalās office in February whether the county could impose a moratorium on data center development. Six months later, the opinion is still without a decision, and NOTUS reported this month that Paxtonās political operation has taken in nearly $450,000 from data-center affiliated donors.
āKen Paxton has taken nearly half a million dollars from the data center industry, voted to flood Texas with data centers by giving them billions in tax handouts, and has refused to use his power as attorney general to respond to Texansā requests to block data center development in their communities,ā Talarico said in a statement Monday.
āNow heās scared his ties to big data center companies will lose him the election, so heās making a sad attempt to reverse course by releasing a plan he literally used AI to make.ā
Paxton used similar language in his statement on the planās release to jab āTalarico and his campaign infrastructureā that āaccept millions of dollars from data center-affiliated donors.ā
Reid Hoffman, LinkedInās co-founder and an outspoken advocate of expanding data centers to edge out China, has given $10 million to Lone Star Rising, the super PAC supporting Talarico.
*Oooop, thereās Reid Hoffman, again, the guy Pam Bondi accused Senator Whitehouse of taking a donation from.
(Itās like, hey, could you go take poo in the opponentās bath water so he looks dirty, too?)
Beto OāRourke refused/returned PAC donations, and so should Talarico.
Anon, you are dead right about the lack of foresight in the course planning. What you seldom see in road courses is a course laid out in a city that consists of parallel streets at right angles with other parallel streets with an occasional diagonal street truncating that pattern, and for good reason. Throw in the raised pedestrian walkways and the passing opportunities become almost nonexistent, but of course you’re aware of that. Factor in the narrow streets and predictability of the number and length of pit stops and you’ll see some shuffling in the field, but with Indy cars, which are much more standardized than F1s, or for that matter any other racing class, track width and curves being where the passing opportunities arise, early track position is a pretty good predicter of finish order (minus pit fuckups, penalties, wrecks and mechanical failures). Alex Palou and Scott McLaughlin are good examples of that.
it was the dumbest of times, it was the dumbest of times
It was the epoch of stupidity, It was epoch of stupidity.
I’m not seeing huge significance in this ruling. The Court lifted one injunction covering 23 states and D.C. on standing issues, not on the merits. But a separate nationwide injunction remains in force.
A small effect of the Canadian refusal to drink American Bourbon and Rye Whiskey is the great sales on those here in the U.S. It is sometimes around thirty percent (at the stores I frequent).
It is time to fight for: 1) where is Mitch’s grave; 2) do we have to pay the divorce settlement of sfb and the pole stripper; 3) why are Jefferies and Schumer still the leaders of the (former) Democratic Party.
You mean you hate what king fucko is ātryingā to do to Canada. Mark Carney aināt no foolā¦..heās kicking fuckoās ass all over town and heās just getting started. Iāve been following the whole process with Canadaā¦..fucko is in for a big surprise.
Fucko aināt got a chance against a guy who actually thinks about things.
lol
Love Doug Ford up in Canada, too. The rest of the world needs to stay strong and build new ties to avoid the US.
Dumbass will isolate us like NK instead of becoming king oā thuh whirled.
Bessent is such a weasel. Everything he just accused other countries of (because they are not engaging in the USrael war against Iran) is a projection of the US actions.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/ice-and-iran-worked-together-to-deport-iranians-from-u-s-newly-released-emails-show
*In case anyone wants to yeah-but-Iran-is-cruel to folks; look at whatās happening in US concentration camps and in US streets to kidnap those folks to put them there. Alsoā¦
ICE and Iran worked together to deport Iranians from U.S., newly released emails show
Hundreds of emails exchanged between U.S. immigration officials, which were obtained by the National Iranian American Council and made public Tuesday, offer the most transparent play by play yet of how the two countries worked together to arrange for more than 100 Iranians to be flown back to Iran on three separate immigration flights in September and December 2025 and January 2026.
The emails show that Iranian officials had some influence over which Iranian immigrants in the U.S. were sent back to their home country, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials apparently heeded some last-minute changes to deportation lists at the request of Iran.
The new emails highlight a clear departure from a decades-long practice by the U.S. of welcoming Iranian dissidents, exiles and others since the 1979 Islamic Revolution forced a large number of Iranians to flee.
At least one person was deported who wasn’t supposed to be, emails showed.
Emails suggest that pressure to carry out the Iranian deportations came from the highest levels of the Trump administration, even when U.S. and Israel were exchanging strikes with Iran in a 12-day conflict between June 13 and June 24, 2025.
Just days after Trump’s June 16 warning on social media that “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” the former acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, called the repatriation of Iranian immigrants a “priority” in an email sent to the agency’s head of removal operations Marcos Charles and a number of unnamed staff.
Shortly after Lyon’s email, Charles forwarded the message to a group of officials whose names are redacted. An unnamed ICE official responded, warning that “removal will prove difficult” amid the ongoing conflict because Iran wasn’t issuing the travel documents for Iranians eligible for deportation. On top of that, the Iranian airspace was closed to all flights during the bombings and Iranians were fleeing the country.
Charles was unfazed, telling staff in a subsequent email to make a plan to deport 58 Iranians with final removal orders in ICE custody at the time.
“We need a plan forward ASAP,” Charles wrote. Another official, who name was redacted, urged colleagues to “identify a solution for this White House priority.”
*So, when Dumbass or one of his proxies like Bessent wring their hands about the terrible regime in Iran, turn an look at the US and realize that this was in Project 2025, not all of the project had been completed, and Project Esther is also under way.
You know, Iāve always kinda thought the Fuggoās bankruption of casinos is some kind of sly mob-like move designed to make money out of itā¦.but the more I see of just how stupid this guy is, wellā¦.Im beginning to think heās actually so utterly insensate that he actually just broke 3 casinos. Thats Twilight Zone stupid right there.
MN Spiderman is in the culture now. 58k likes on this one.
āIt was the dumbest of timesā¦it was the epoch of stupidity.ā Anon, itās even worse than that.
Willful ignorance (or feigning it) for a chance to line their pockets.
It was the greediest of times, it was the extinction burstiest of times.
Added street corn to our left-over Ropa Vieja. That batch yielded two meals plus some for the freezer.
Sturg – Thatās why he was a perfect mark for the Russians (and others); he was a big loser. Darn that Mark Burnett for giving him a TV show.
By the way, Burnett is now United States Special Envoy to the United Kingdomā¦perhaps to keep the stuff they didnāt/couldnāt air under wraps.
Why would a proclaimed Christian and his wife align with an adjudicated rapist, alleged pedophile, and (based on the Epstein files) a creep who auctioned off little girls?
Look what just arrived!
CNN reporting they finally got around to charging the Air Force officer who protested, apparently throwing everything at him.
Busy day, all posts acknowledged
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The accuracy of my verbiage is being questioned, so that is to say I read the posts
Private equity killed Walgreens:
Wall Street vultures gut local pharmacies. Find a local option before your meds get held hostage.
š½ļø From today’s Digital Diner menu
Just flat irritated. On another media place I just dealt with more of the phony nostalgia movement. This time it was the early sixties and how things were so much better back than. Prices were low, people were friendly, it was so magical and wonderful. And, completely balony.
Prices were low. One example was how pork chops were sixty cents per pound. A quick check shows that would be six dollars and sixty cents today. Cars were big, no they were not, that was later and more expensive. Child abuse was not only hidden, it was allowed, including belt whipping and spanking in schools. Punishment of children does not bring respect. The big one is how wonderful everything was socially.
Unstated and ignored was segregation, racial discrimination and worse. But, I think this is what these people are going for. Magat life of white supremacy, xtian nationalism, anti-woman and anti-LGBTQ.
I am not against looking back and putting things in a soft light. Visiting my grandparents. Life raising my chickens,, rabbits and whatevers. Eating my chickens, rabbits and whatevers, yes I grew up as grandchild to farmers and that is life. But, it is nice looking through my rose tinted glasses, inherited from my great-grandmother.
We have to be realistic that life almost eighty years ago is not the same s today. In normal administrations we have year around food, not just seasonal in America. We would have low priced products because balancing everything, engineering parts labor materials, it is a global operation and prices would be stable and low.
Nostalgia is good but reality has to fit too.
You nailed it BB. “Make America Great Again” is just a marketing slogan for people who flunked history.
šš» Spanked in grade one for coloring a cat the wrong color (aka not following directions) and not being able to fix it (yellow crayon on top of black crayon turns army green, and itās impossible to scrape off the original color); yanked into a supply room and spanked with a ruler on my bare legs (girls werenāt allowed to wear pants until grade six, and then it was only under your dress in the winter). Fully liberated to pants and top (no tees) in Junior High.
Iād suggest every broadcast network air āPleasantvilleā simultaneously, but it would be lost on MAGAts. Someone in this house remarked that June and Ward Cleaver were bickering; it kind of broke their illusion of complete, female subservience.
lol do support trauma dumps
fuck those people ā
Yes, I look back fondly on the outhouse blowing over in a blizzard and laughing with my grandmother. I look back even more fondly of the day we got an indoor toilet, which was actually during a snowstorm which turned into a blizzard; debate tournament canceled, too, so it was a great day for me. You know how I hate to argue. LoL
Secret Service just confirmed the Barron threat to NBC. It has taken all day for American media to catch up to this story. Has been headline news everywhere else.
Dumbass brings out the worst in most everyone, including me. Iād swear I was at least a wee bit nicer at one time. Maybe it was just CERN opening up a tiny black hole to let the ick into this timeline. Yeah, Iām sure thatās it.
Are we sure it was Iran?
BiBi?
Maybe USreal (now that we seem to have entered into some unholy and unconstitutional merger) in order to get folks used to the idea of, as Leaky Pete would probably put it, use maximum lethality and give Dumbass his wet dream of using a nuke?
Is this a ploy to get lapsing MAGAts to rally āround the flag-humper?
Whatever. If true, something about the sins of the father being visited on the son, or something like that.
Clearly, Iām not buying it yet.
ps – Release the Epstein files.
The pro-Abdul ad here features his grandparents. They go on about his accomplishments and say that they raised him. He appears at the end of the ad and says, “I approve the HECK out of this message!” His grandmother replies, “Language!”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/24/trump-administration-announces-global-economic-war-on-iran
US launches āOperation Economic Outcastā to cut Iranās economic lifeline
*Who comes up with these ridiculous names? Actually, it sounds like the US is projecting its own economic situation.
ps – I found no report of said video on Al Jazeeraās website. Remember, the SS works for Dumbass, and seemed to be in on the WHCD shenanigans, oh, and the fake event in Butler, PA. Hmmm, and didnāt the SS want to spirit Mike Pence away from the Capitol on J6, and he knew enough not to get in the vehicle? Never let your captors take you to a second location.
Glad to know they’re running that one, Corey. It’s one of their best. Reminds me how Obama team first ran ads in white Iowa about his white grandparents. Thanks for the ad watch! Come talk to us in the chatroom sometime.
Abdulās Grandma Judy is a gem! I love the beginning of the ad because it surely gets the attention of folks who look like her who think everyone who doesnāt look like them is illegal or a terrorist.
Looking into who put up that 3-minute broadcast, because it couldāve been Israel or USrael.
Iranian State TV ran the $10 million reward video yesterday, BiD. White House has actually been trying to suppress the story. — The Independent | Euronews
The Jerusalem Post reported that one supposed associate identified in the Iranian segment appeared to be a fabricated profile, undermining the presentation of the programās information as reliable intelligence.
The program alleged that a woman had managed to get through security, meet privately with Barron and provide information to the programās creators. Euronews said it could not independently verify the claim.
Euronews and other outlets said they could not independently verify that an actual bounty had been formally established.
The Video Used Highly Stylized Imagery Rather Than Providing Evidence Of An Actual Operation. Iran International reported that the program relied heavily on dramatized graphics depicting surveillance and efforts to penetrate Barronās protection but did not offer evidence that anyone working for Iran had successfully reached him.
*It would be incredibly stupid for Iran to air this. I mean, itās so stupid that itās like something the US wouldāve done.
Trump world seems embarrassed by how it makes them look vulnerable. And it reinforces criticism that abandoning our policy against political assassination would lead to just this sort of thing. Once the story is out Trump will want to play the martyr but I’d bet Melania won’t let him.
Hard to believe we hijacked Iranian TV to air something we spent all day trying to get US media to ignore
My guess whatever faction inside Iran did this knew how much it would trigger Melania. She might be the only one who can make dumbass stop this stupid war.
What did they expect when they kicked a hornetsā nest full of terrorists?
Thatās what inspired my Dickens homage
Jeffries has responded to the Jared meetup story…
https://okmagazine.com/p/donald-trump-credits-himself-freedom-250-race-sits-melania-natalie-harp/
Donald Trump credits himself for Freedom 250 race then sits surrounded by Melania and Natalie Harp, whose loyalty sparks debate
First Lady Melania Trump and close presidential aide Natalie Harp both attended the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, August 23, triggering intense public and social media scrutiny over their proximity.
did they have a three-way afterwards or was Melania not invited?
they each took a swollen ankle lol sry
trailmix after hours
Just donāt understand what Iran gets from doing that, but definitely see what USrael could get out of it. Hmmm, what better way to look like itās on the up&up than to pretend it was sensitive intel. If you wanted someone to know something but didnāt want it to look like you were the instigator, thatās how youād do it.
Quadruple feature suggestion:
āMean Girls,ā āDrop Dead Gorgeous,ā Election,ā āTo Die For.ā
canāt dismiss that kind of speculation after the pager-bomb operation, who knows
and after the israeli-contrived scare in turkey
with friends like thatā¦
Ha! and ick! Looks like Nat probably had both of those cankles all to herself later on.
āAnother widely dissected clip showed Melania sitting next to Donald in the booth. After the president appeared to reach over and touch her leg, Melania stood up and walked away roughly 12 seconds later.ā
I don’t see how Israel or the US could broadcast on Iranian State TV. And Iran hasn’t disavowed responsibility.
https://balleralert.com/doug-ford-canada-cut-electricity-trump-50-percent-tariffs/
Trump hit Canada with 50 percent tariffs, and Canada responded by threatening to cut off the power
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday that Canada should be prepared to cut off electricity and critical minerals to the United States if the trade fight with Trump keeps escalating. He said it in an interview with the Associated Press, two days after Trumpās 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods took effect. Ontario powers 1.5 million homes and businesses in the US, Ford said, everything is on the table, and he will do whatever it takes. If Trump keeps trying to dismantle Canadian manufacturing, Ford said, he better have a pack of batteries.
Ford floated raising electricity prices or stopping exports south, and that is where it stands.
More than 35 major transmission lines cross the border, along with 70 oil and gas pipelines. Canada supplied 62 percent of American crude oil imports in 2024. In some form, all 50 states benefit from that energy relationship.
*Please, Mr. Ford, if you could cut off power to the data centers in the US, weād appreciate it.
Iād like to see confirmation and investigation from Al Jazeera. (Words I never thought Iād type.)
no one picks their father, this is all awful, Congress could end it in a day
meanwhile idiot is preoccupied with young women
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/cameras-ordered-cut-at-freedom-250-grand-prix-after-trump-and-melanias-tense-exchange/ar-AA2aPPPE
“I need the cameras off the president right now. Cameras off the president right now,” a man can be heard instructing the cameraperson. “Turn the cameras. Just turn the cameras. We’ve asked you to turn the cameras off the presidential suite.” It comes after a lip reader exposed Trump’s tense chat with Melania amid the leaked letters scandal.
A pool camera operator broadcasting the presidential suite live during the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D. C was told to stop filming Donald and Melania Trump after they were caught in the middle of what appeared to be a noticeably tense exchange.
The camera operator explained that she was a pool videographer recording a livestream for multiple outlets, including CNN, Fox News and Gannett, reports the Mirror US.
“I understand that. We’ve asked you to turn the cameras off of the presidential suite, and we’ll be with you in a moment,” the man responds before leaving. The camera shifts upward but focuses on the racing Indy cars.
It’s not clear from the video who the man works for.
https://www.irishstar.com/news/melania-trump-stands-up-seat-37584763
Melania Trump stands up from seat and leaves Donald’s side as Natalie Harp demands president’s attention
The race was the 15th of a total 18 races taking place this year as part of IndyCar’s season. The racing course passes directly through landmarks, like the National Archives Building, the National Gallery of Art, and three Smithsonian museums: Air and Space, American Indian, and American History. Meanwhile, Harp was spotted lurking just behind a seemingly oblivious Melania in a bizarre moment.
*** We have no shortage of bizarre in the US
āI miss the days when you used to call, during my talkshow days, and weād talk about everything and nothing,ā Harp wrote. āI want to get back to that synergy. We shouldnāt have to talk about work all the time!!ā
In the same letter, Harp added, āAnd please, when I fail, will you tell me? You have the absolute right to cuss me out, if need be, when I deserve it, because no one knows or cares about me more.ā
50 shades of yuck
https://www.irishstar.com/news/politics/donald-trump-melania-natalie-harp-37584840
*Yep, there she is, Nat in a little, black dress at car race, just like a normal person.
do love the power that clever women have over weak men
for whatever reason Al Jazeera routinely passes on covering Iranian state TV propaganda videos. But seems like this one crossed a line to newsworthy
this is why you donāt throw out āthe rulesā
idiot replaced their gerontocracy with young motivated extremists
thanks trump voters
i wish gavin ran in 2024 š
NEW THREAD by our fearless leader
RIP the queen