The Hebrides Overture by Felix Mendelsohn
The Hebrides is a concert overture that was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1830,
It was inspired by one of Mendelssohn’s trips to the British Isles, specifically an 1829 excursion to the Scottish island of Staffa, with its basalt sea cave known as Fingal’s Cave. It was reported that the composer immediately jotted down the opening theme for his composition after seeing the island.
Fingal’s cave is a spot on the Hebridean Isle of Staffa, some six miles from the much larger island of Mull which is close to mainland Scotland. According to legend the cave is the site of what was once the royal castle of Fion na Gael (anglicized to “Fingal”), ruler of the kingdom of Morven and father of the celebrated third-century warrior and bard known as Ossian. Every trace of the structure of the supposed castle has vanished and its floor has given way to the sea.,(wikipedia, link)
Enjoy, Jack
BBC
US Senator and close Trump ally Lindsey Graham dies after ‘brief and sudden illness’
CNN Lindsey Graham, longtime GOP senator and Trump ally, dies at 71 after sudden illness
excerpt from The Guardian
“On the evening of Saturday 11 July, US senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement. “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”
It gave no further details. Citing police scanner audio, the Washington Post newspaper reported that emergency medical services had received a call at about 8.30pm on Saturday regarding a person suffering chest pains at Graham’s home on Capitol Hill. About 25 minutes later, according to the Post, emergency personnel said CPR was in progress and a man was suffering cardiac arrest.
There had been no known concerns over the health of Graham, whose birthday was last Thursday and who visited Ukraine last week. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote on social media on Friday: “I’m grateful to Lindsey for recognizing our warriors.” Graham was scheduled to appear as a guest on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
Jack, thank you and thanks to Felix for musically capturing its uninhabited starkness when he “jotted down the opening theme for his composition after seeing the island.”
back to Lindsey just 2 days ago https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/graham-announces-white-house-deal-on-russia-sanctions-bill-says-it-will-become-law-20668
US Senator Lindsey Graham announced that a formal agreement has been reached with the White House regarding a robust new sanctions package aimed at curbing Russia’s ability to fund its ongoing war of aggression.
US Senator Lindsey Graham announced that a formal agreement has been reached with the White House regarding a robust new sanctions package aimed at curbing Russia’s ability to fund its ongoing war of aggression.
Speaking at a press conference on July 10, the South Carolina Republican confirmed that the administration has agreed to support the legislative framework, effectively clearing the path for the bill to become law, according to Suspilne news.
“Approximately 30 minutes ago we reached an agreement with the White House on a version of the Russia sanctions bill that they will support. That means it will become law,” Graham stated.
The legislation, which boasts 85 co-sponsors and was developed in coordination with Senators Richard Blumenthal and Jeanne Shaheen, is designed to provide President Donald Trump with broad executive authority.
Specifically, it empowers the administration to impose significant tariffs and sanctions on nations that continue to import discounted Russian oil or natural gas, thereby providing the financial lifeline that sustains the Kremlin’s military operations.
Graham emphasized that the objective is to force a shift in global energy markets.
“This bill is designed to encourage those who buy Russian oil and gas to find new sources of supply. We will give you time to find new sources, we will reward you for finding them, but this is a decision you must make yourself. The faster this becomes clear to Putin, the faster it becomes clear to countries like China that you cannot help Putin without paying a price, the faster this war will end,” he said.
According to Senator Graham, US President Donald Trump views Ukraine as a member of the winning camp. The President was reportedly deeply impressed by the ability of the Ukrainian people to alter the course of the war.
Beyond the energy sector, the bill aims to bolster Ukraine’s defensive capabilities, particularly in countering ballistic missile threats. It also establishes strict mechanisms to penalize states that actively circumvent existing sanctions to profit from the ongoing violence.
While championing the new economic measures, Senator Graham also noted that there is currently no significant appetite in the US for further direct military aid.
He urged a shift toward a long-term security partnership, noting, “Europe is ready to buy American weapons, and we need to continue to sell them. We need to work with Ukraine in the area of drones in our own interest. This partnership makes America safer.”
The official arrived in Kyiv on July 10 to discuss expanding strategic cooperation and strengthening bilateral defense initiatives.
During the working visit, Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address ongoing security challenges and finalize key agreements.
Throughout his tenure, the high-ranking official has consistently demonstrated a firm pro-Ukrainian position. Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, he has actively advocated for enhanced military and financial assistance. Recently, he also called for the transfer of Tomahawk cruise missiles to help the country defend itself.
Furthermore, Graham underscores that sustaining comprehensive support for Kyiv remains imperative for ensuring enduring stability across the European continent.
The announcement follows a significant move by the Trump administration on May 16, when the White House declined to renew a license that had previously permitted maritime operations involving the transport and sale of Russian oil and petroleum products.
considering the above perhaps intel should be checking for novichok in case this was a putie payback and/or a message to Dodo
interesting conjectures
from X poster osint:
Two of the most significant members of the Republican Party’s Old Guard in the Senate have died or been hospitalized in just the last month, starting with the mysterious hospitalization of Mitch McConnell and now the sudden death of Lindsey Graham.
and this from Forbes
Mitch McConnell’s Health Fuels Longshot Theory He Could Be Replaced By Thomas Massie
A proxy move by Iran since they couldn’t get to Trump?
SC Dem nominee Annie Andrews was already holding Graham to a slim lead in the latest polls.
Jen Psaki talks with Democratic candidate for Senate in South Carolina, Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician.
Lindsey Graham/Mitch McConnell: It immediately takes the Republican conference down from 53 to 52 senators… So from an operational standpoint, you’re down to 51 votes.
Intel from a SC Democrat:
Jack, Thank you. Fingal’s cave is a beautiful orchestral work.
Party Makeup of the South Carolina Legislature
As of the 2024–2025 legislative session, the South Carolina General Assembly is controlled entirely by the Republican Party, making it a Republican trifecta — Republicans hold the governor’s office, both chambers of the legislature, and key executive offices Ballotpedia+1.
Senate composition
46 total seats
Majority Republican: 34 seats
Minority Democratic: 12 seats Wikipedia+1
Leadership: President Thomas Alexander (R), Majority Leader Shane Massey (R), Minority Leader Brad Hutto (D) Wikipedia+1
House of Representatives composition
124 total seats
Majority Republican: 89 seats
Minority Democratic: 35 seats Wikipedia
Leadership: Speaker G. Murrell Smith Jr. (R), Majority Leader Davey Hiott (R), Minority Leader James Rutherford (D) Ballotpedia
Overall
damnit i’m 13 comments late 😭
i have nothing to say about him that his “i’ve had enough” speech didn’t say
Last night I wrapped up around 10:30pm after dealing with multiple attacks on me for supporting the request of the Kentucky governor to start the process for a vote on Mitch’s replacement. This morning I fueled up the twitter machine and started in to more of last night, except there were tweets that were similar to Mitch’s but had Lindsey name. It was odd, but then I saw more and wondered if there was a campaign to fight back using a hypothetical what if.
Okay, things were confusing, even with coffee. I went to AP and there it was. Graham up and died. Can’t get more strange than that. Lots of discussions about the young, 71, and well traveled, 2 cross the Pond flights in one week, and no prior health issues senator. Look at that. Long haul flights, mostly sitting, two in one week. Out of shape, in his seventies and flights. I am going with a DVT clot breaking free and boom None of the other complicated and strange guesses.
If it were not for a Democratic governor of Kentucky I am sure there would be a special election to replace Mitch.
he could have spilled some tea on the way out, might have helped
Palmetto Scramble:
The governor picks somebody to warm Graham’s seat, but picking a nominee requires a 30 day sprint to a special primary election.
One thing for sure, if Trump’s wants to thumb the scale (and of course he will), he’ll push his puppet governor to go ahead and appoint who they want to win the primary. Trump never takes a chance on democracy if he can avoid it.
Reuters gets my Pulitzer nomination for this photo of our times.
The wasted life of Lindsay Graham. He never did one decent thing for anyone.
$4B Crypto Grift: Trump fleeces MAGA while taking flat-out bribes from the UAE. 💸
OK, a raw ear of my corn fresh off the plant is legit delicious
anon, IMO best way to prepare fresh corn is microwave 1-2 minutes husk covered cob (be sure to remove silks and rinse prior to nuking). however, raw straight off the stalk is even more delightful — unless an insect is also sharing it.
Well… I want to express condolences to Graham’s family and friends. A sudden death always comes as a shock.
I’m sure a new trump toady will be appointed…
Ah, Franklin Radio Symphony copyright-blocks today’s tune for our livestream but OK on here of course.
My immediate thought was it was Scrambled Google for breakfast. Headlines now require double- and triple-checking.
Rest in Whatever, Lindsey. So much crap left in your wake, including Kavanaugh, once you took over that hearing.
At least they didn’t try to cover it up. Now, Mitch. Let’s get the facts out in the open where they belong.
A guess is the medical staff is going to add to its geriatric AED collection in case more than one of the elderly critters goes down hard.
The SC governor, another political swine, will do whatever appears to be the most Slumpian thing he can think of. “Think” not actually being the right word.
And complete for Graham—out of the question.
Not even a tiny sliver of condole
a bug is the least gross thing about gardening patd 😀
i possibly ate an ant 🤷
Senate looking fluid now!
thoughts and prayers obv
obv
Maine News. From Today’s Portland Press Herald.
(This is a long article but it contains very detailed information about the turbulent environment within the Maine Democratic party that embodies, at the local level, the conflict between establishment “corporate” Democrats and the Progressive wing of the party.)
Graham Platner wanted his movement to outlast him. Now comes the ‘ultimate test.’
Can another candidate inspire the movement that Platner built?
Throughout his campaign, Graham Platner said his candidacy wasn’t about himself — it was about building a grassroots movement that could outlast his U.S. Senate run.
At a town hall last November in Windham, Platner was asked point-blank about what would happen to the movement of thousands of passionate volunteers he’s amassed and motivated if he lost the election.
“This for me is an organizing project,” Platner said at the time. “Whether or not we win, the organizing needs to remain. And whatever movement we can build here needs to continue moving forward. And what my role looks like in that, I honestly don’t know.”
That role will no longer involve him appearing on the ballot. Platner announced Wednesday he plans to quit the race after a woman accused him of sexual assault, an allegation that he denies.
“I’m an optimist,” said Harry Nelson, a 72-year-old North Yarmouth resident who volunteered for Platner’s campaign. “There’s so much to be accomplished by defeating Susan Collins and trying to make some real legitimate change in Washington. … I do think that whoever’s going to pick up the mantle, people like me are going to get behind that person.”
Since launching his campaign last August, Platner says he has built an army of 15,000 volunteers. They staffed his more than 80 town hall events across the state. They braved the frigid cold to secure enough signatures to get him on the ballot in just a few days. They made phone calls and knocked on doors. And they lent their efforts to other campaigns, including efforts to oppose a statewide voter ID referendum last fall. The referendum was soundly rejected.
But that movement was fiercely loyal to and protective of the 41-year-old gravel-voiced combat veteran and oyster farmer from Sullivan, whose speeches included cutting critiques of existing power structures.
A New York Times/Press Herald/Siena poll conducted last month found 71% of Democrats were “very enthusiastic” to vote in the U.S. Senate race — a 19-point advantage over Republicans.
Neither Platner’s campaign manager Ben Chin nor Platner’s spokespeople returned messages seeking comment for this story.
But Chin said in a Facebook post Wednesday night that the movement faces the “ultimate test.” He encouraged supporters to get involved with the process for selecting a new candidate who shares Platner’s policy positions: Medicare for all, taxing billionaires and ending forever wars.
“Our number one priority is stewarding this movement, then taking care of our volunteers and staff, and then everyone and everything else,” Chin wrote.
Democratic candidates now vying to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins this fall are already trying to claim the torch of Platner’s fiery brand of economic populism. They want to harness his movement of Mainers clamoring to confront a corporate system that they say siphons resources from the working class.
Progressive groups quickly fell in line behind former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, who campaigned extensively with the former nominee this spring. Like Platner, Jackson was also endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and labor unions during his unsuccessful run for governor. And the Allagash Democrat comes firmly from the working class – a former logger from northern Maine who got his start in politics by challenging corporate landowners.
“There is a powerful movement of working class people in the state of Maine, and millions more across America who are ready to send a progressive fighter to the Senate,” Jackson, 58, said in a written statement announcing his Senate candidacy on Wednesday night. “I’ve been fighting for that movement my whole life — and I’m sure as hell not backing down now, when this fight is needed most.”
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, 51, also held a few campaign events with Platner. Both were endorsed by the Maine People’s Alliance, which has an established statewide grassroots network of activists.
In a Thursday press call, Bellows, a former Democratic nominee for Senate who lost to Collins by a 2-1 margin in 2014, made her case.
“I think I’m the best candidate to unite the party because I have a long track record in leading on progressive issues, whether it’s fighting for marriage equality, leading on legalization of marijuana (or) fighting for voting rights,” she said.
Now the movement that steamrolled the Democratic establishment and forced his main rival, Gov. Janet Mills, to suspend her campaign more than a month before the primary faces an existential threat.
Can Platner’s movement continue without him? Will the energy and devotion he engendered be transferred to another nominee? Or is it destined to fracture and fizzle out?
But it’s been Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, who has made the most aggressive public outreach to Platner supporters thus far.
At a Thursday campaign launch in Freeport, Shah, 49, was introduced by two former field organizers for Platner’s campaign, who said Platner’s movement was bigger than one person.
Shah made a direct appeal to Platner supporters and volunteers at the top of his remarks. He said he shares many of the same policy views as Platner and an affinity for town halls to speak directly to voters.
“My message to you this afternoon is clear: You have an important place in this campaign, and we welcome your voices,” Shah said. “This campaign represents the values that we all care about. Building a state and a country where everyone can get ahead, not just the privileged few. Respecting our neighbors, engaging in civic dialogue and most importantly, holding Donald Trump accountable.”
All three candidates ran in the Democratic primary for governor. Shah led after the first round tally with nearly 27% of the vote, but he lost the nomination to former Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree in the ranked-choice runoff. Jackson finished third with just over 21% of the vote, and Bellows finished fourth with just under 21%.
Platner played a key role in the outcome of that race, publicly backing Jackson, Bellows and Pingree — and pointedly snubbing Shah, who was widely perceived to be the narrow front-runner. Enough voters followed Platner’s lead to tilt the race in Pingree’s favor.
FORMER PLATNER SUPPORTERS REMAIN GALVANIZED
Liv Drewniak, an 18-year-old organizer for Platner who is now supporting Shah, said in an interview that many Platner supporters in her circle are still shocked by this week’s events. But she doesn’t expect people to give up the fight.
There was such a sense of community built around that campaign, not necessarily around one person in particular, that I think it’ll be really easy for that energy and that magnetism that drew everyone together to shift” to another candidate, she said.
Drewniak, of Woolwich, said former Platner supporters may be backing other candidates in the pop-up primary, but she expects everyone to come together once a new nominee is chosen.
“It’s gonna be hectic for the next couple of weeks,” she added, “but I think no matter who turns out to be our candidate for the Senate, I think people very easily rally behind supporting one person who will stand up to Susan Collins.”
The nominee who replaces Platner will likely face a healthy dose of attack ads from Collins and Collins-aligned groups. But progressives are “all energized” and still confident about winning in November, added Melissa Berky, a member of the Indivisible Bangor steering committee.
“The energy, the anger and the passion needs an outlet,” Berky said Friday.
Erin Evans, a 55-year-old former neighborhood organizer for the Platner campaign who endorsed Shah, said she’s confident that the movement will survive because it grew organically.
“It’s not falling apart because it’s not top-down,” Evans said in an interview. “It really is a mile wide and a million feet deep. And so we’re just carrying it.”
Evans said all of the organizing tools, including online forums and personal networks, are still intact, and that fellow organizers are eager to move forward with the ultimate goal of unseating Collins.
“We are committed to making the U.S. Senate blue,” the Portland resident said. “Graham Platner is a great speaker and an awesome guy, and what’s happened is heartbreaking to everybody. But it’s not about him. It’s about Maine.”
COULD A FRACTURED PARTY THREATEN THE MOVEMENT?
State Rep. Valli Geiger, a Rockland Democrat and Platner ally who is throwing her hat in the ring as a potential replacement nominee at Platner’s urging, said he shifted policy discussions in the state to the left by harping on and winning broad support for a progressive platform.
Before moving forward, though, some fences may need mending.
It took Platner more than two days to announce he’s leaving the race following the report from Politico in which a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021. On Friday, he filed the paperwork to formally withdraw.
Between Monday and Wednesday, his campaign engaged in a public war of words with the Maine Democratic Party. Party leaders accused his team of trying to influence the process for finding a replacement candidate.
Chin, Platner’s campaign manager, accused local party leaders of allowing national Democrats to shape the process and outcome at the exclusion of Platner’s supporters — an accusation the party denied.
Spencer Toth, Platner’s former field organizer, took on a similar role for the state party last month. But he resigned Wednesday in protest over what he said was the party’s decision to keep the campaign at arm’s length.
And Platner announced his exit in a grievance-filled, 11-minute video released on social media in which he blamed the political and corporate media establishments for using “false accusations” of sexual assault to force him out of the race.
Meanwhile, discussions in some pro-Platner forums remain defiant, with many people advocating for Platner to stay in the race. Some say they plan to write in his name this fall.
With emotions still so raw, the movement is teetering tenuously upon a precipice.
“Some movements are very much tied to a particular moment and a particular person who can kind of knit different constituencies together as part of this coalition,” said Matthew Dallek, a political science professor at George Washington University. “Other times, though, once people are mobilized around a set of ideas, it’s kind of hard to put the genie back in the bottle.”
Maine will soon find out into which category Platner’s movement will fall.
today’s meme…
I guess that since years ago I had military medical training I immediately thought:
(A I. Gordon reports:)
The difference comes down to where the clot is sitting, and what that location does to blood flow.
## A DVT is the clot at the source
DVT stands for deep vein thrombosis. It’s a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, most often in the calf, thigh, or pelvis, sometimes in the arm.
– It stays put at first. The problem it causes locally is pain, swelling, warmth, and tenderness in one leg.
– It doesn’t instantly stop your heart or breathing, because the vein is on the way back to the heart, not in the lungs.
– The real danger is that part of it can break off and travel.
A DVT by itself is serious and needs treatment, but it rarely causes sudden death in minutes. Doctors treat it to keep it from moving and to prevent long-term vein damage.
## A pulmonary embolism is the clot after it travels
A pulmonary embolism, or PE, is what happens when a piece of that DVT breaks loose, rides through the vena cava into the right side of the heart, and lodges in a pulmonary artery in the lungs.
Now the clot is blocking the route blood takes to pick up oxygen. If it’s small, you might feel sudden shortness of breath, sharp chest pain that worsens with a deep breath, a fast heartbeat, lightheadedness, or coughing, sometimes with blood.
If it’s large, especially a “saddle” embolus that straddles both main pulmonary arteries, it can block most blood flow out of the right ventricle in seconds. The right heart can’t push blood through, almost nothing reaches the left heart to go to the brain, blood pressure collapses, and cardiac arrest follows. That’s the “instant” event people talk about.
So the PE isn’t a different disease, it’s the DVT in motion.
## Why people say “a DVT killed someone instantly”
In everyday language it’s shorthand. Medically, the DVT formed days or weeks earlier, often silently. The fatal moment was when it embolized and became a massive PE. You don’t die from the clot in the leg, you die from the clot in the lung.
They’re on the same continuum, which is why clinicians often say “venous thromboembolism” or VTE to cover both.
## What to watch for, and what to do
This is general information, not a personal assessment. If you notice one leg suddenly swelling compared to the other, with pain or warmth, or if you develop sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, faintness, or collapse, that’s an emergency. Call 911 rather than driving yourself, and let your primary clinician know about any history of clots, recent surgery, long travel, cancer treatment, or leg immobility so prevention can be discussed.
Treatments exist to thin the blood, dissolve clots in selected cases, and sometimes remove them procedurally, but those decisions depend on your overall health and are made with a clinician in real time.
I
Senator Graham just returned from Ukraine last night. Long hours on an airplane can contribute to a deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism. Just my speculation….
Here’s our latest TrailMix campaign ad: My idea is for Annie to quickly pivot from running against Lindsey to the focus she already had on RFK jr. and the measles spread in SC…
Annie Andrews for US Senate !
Because Graham died while on the ballot:
– South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster can appoint a temporary replacement, and is expected to schedule a special election process.
– The state page notes “a special primary will be held to replace Graham as the Republican nominee”.
– The seat is now listed as “TBD | Appointed (2026)” on the 2026 race table.
Democrat Annie Andrews had been campaigning as the expected challenger for the November matchup, so the ballot will change on both sides in the coming weeks.
Here’s the SC timeline I laid out in my substack article, based on the statute for replacing a party nominee. (Meanwhile, Annie can rock and roll while Republicans duke it out):
Filing Opens: The second Tuesday after the death (July 21).
Filing Closes: One week later (July 28).
Primary Election Day: The second Tuesday after filing closes (August 11).
She needs to also keep hammering Graham because the damage he’s inflicted on our nation and the rule of law warrants it.
FIFA wanted England to beat Norway, I guess.
Lindsey was not in my bingo card. Mitch has company now.
Stur, here’s her statement. Appropriate for the short term, but I agree — back to bashing when it’s not too soon:
Our Annie ad’s off to a strong start in its first 15 minutes on YouTube (about the same on TikTok).
Spread the short link now: trailmix.cc/annie
𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 Chat Now🚨
On YouTube🎙️11am (ET) until NOON
Grab a Mic, Cam or Keyboard → https://trailmix.cc/stage
More options at https://trailmix.cc/chat
WATCH here 👇
Cute article title – Craig may even catch the disease.
Subpoenas Envy
(I have it.)
gene weingarten
Jul 12, 2026
This is an open letter to the four reporters at The New York Times who have been subpoenaed by the Justice Department to give up their secret sources on a story disclosing that Donald Trump’s new Air Force One, a personal gift bribe from the government of Qatar, has proven to be so deficient in defensive capabilities that the president could not ride it back home through a war zone. To those four reporters:
Damn you.
I have been working my whole life for just such a subpoena. I’m older than you. I’m a national treasure. I’ve earned this.
So I come to you with a proposal. Hear me out.
Don’t fight the subpoena. All four of you should agree to testify before the grand jury. And all four of you should testify to the same thing. Say that I was your secret source, and you believed me because I have a reputation for getting things right. The feds will subpoena me, and I will not contradict you. I will gravely testify that I was indeed your source! And then they will demand my source, and I will refuse to reveal it. And go to jail, where I will be blissfully happy writing my memoirs, as a martyr to the First Amendment and the first working journalist to give Donald Trump the finger from behind bars.
Deal?
—
That’s sort of all I have today, other than a brief comment about Lindsey Graham. I am beginning the countdown to the moment that Tucker Carlson or some MAGA lunatic starts wondering whether Lindsey was poisoned by Putin during his recent visit to Kiev. Ten, nine, eight, seven . . . .
Also, have you seen this?
LOL 🐓
Dexter – thank you for doing the full explanation of “DVT clot breaks free”. As someone who flew on aeroplanes a lot, short haul, long haul, and very long haul, somewhere back in the fog of times past I was instructed on not sitting all the time. Get up and move, “get the blood flowing”. It was to prevent blood clots, and stay awake. The fear of DVT from sitting for many hours was driven into me, and I am a believer.
Lots of feedback, so I ditched in case it was me.
Anyway, build your own conspiracy:
Putin did it so the US won’t aid Ukraine; if the US pulls back support, we’ll know.
Iran did it to send a message to tRUMP; if he pulls out completely, we’ll know.
BiBi did it (or the CIA) as a false flag; if they point fingers at Iran, we’ll know.
Of course, if it goes nuclear on July 19th we’d know if we weren’t all radioactive toast.
Then, of course, the simpler explanation is that he was a drinker and had other health conditions, and it was all perfectly natural.
ps – Fun fact: folks tend to die on or near their birthdays.
Dexter:
I agree with Blue Bronc. Thanks for that information.
I would add this…
People who take long airplane flights should wear “compression socks.” You can get them at any drug store or amazon. These socks reduce the chances of a clot forming.
From Google AI…
People are advised to wear compression socks on long airplane flights primarily to prevent blood clots, specifically a dangerous condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), and to reduce uncomfortable swelling and leg fatigue.
When you spend hours sitting in a cramped airline seat, your leg muscles remain inactive and cannot properly assist your veins in pumping blood back up to your heart against gravity. This effect is further compounded by low cabin pressure and dehydration.
Today in the Diner…
Lindsey Graham Legacy, South Carolina Senate Shake-Up
Lindsey Graham, Donald Trump and South Carolina politics collide as the Senate succession battle begins, with Annie Andrews, Mark Lynch and Project 2025 looming.
Lindsey Graham’s death has instantly transformed South Carolina into one of the country’s most closely watched political battlegrounds. We revisit Graham’s dramatic political evolution from Donald Trump critic to one of Trump’s closest allies, examine the coming special election timeline, and look at what Governor Henry McMaster may do next. We also revisit Graham’s long relationship with John McCain and discuss how that shaped one of Washington’s most surprising political transformations.
The conversation also looks ahead at Democratic candidate Dr. Annie Andrews, MAGA contender Mark Lynch, Project 2025 architect Paul Dans, and the influence Donald Trump could have over the Republican replacement process. We also touch on Mitch McConnell, Andy Beshear, CNN commentator Scott Jennings, and what another unexpected Senate vacancy could mean as the national political map continues shifting. Coffee’s hot, opinions are plain, and the Digital Diner serves another helping of politics without the fancy garnish. ☕🍳
00:00 Intro
03:45 Annie Andrews Campaign
05:35 Lindsey Graham Health
06:35 South Carolina Senate
09:00 Trump Senate Strategy
11:00 Mark Lynch vs Annie Andrews
12:00 South Carolina Timeline
14:15 Paul Dans Project 2025
17:35 Lindsey Graham Legacy
18:00 Donald Trump Flashback
20:00 John McCain Influence
21:15 Mitch McConnell Mystery
https://x.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/727604522156228608
@LindseyGrahamSC
If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed……and we will deserve it.
9:03 PM • May 3, 2016
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/latest-news-live-updates_n_6a4b6bc0e4b05c9d0338a117/liveblog_6a53afb7e4b04a4b8d2d8840
IMO, Mace seems batcrap crazy. It would be night and day, if she ran against the good Dr.
What, no Joe-did-it ❓
Lindsey wrote his own epitaph with that quote, BiD.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/media-ghouls-commentators-political-aisle-mock-lindsey-graham-death-good-riddance-posts
https://news.leisurebyte.com/politics/michigans-biggest-diarrhea-outbreak-comes-after-rfk-jr-s-cdc-cut-foodborne-disease-tracking-from-8-diseases-to-2
Michigan’s biggest diarrhea outbreak comes after RFK Jr.’s CDC cut foodborne disease tracking from 8 pathogens to 2
The CDC said on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, that it had been notified of 145 cases of cycloporiasis across 17 US states from May to mid-June.
On Wednesday, July 8, 2026, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported that there had been 992 confirmed cases with 40 hospitalizations. Last week, it was shared that there were 170 confirmed cases since late June. No deaths have been reported yet.
*TDS is now Trump Diarrhea Syndrome
Doesn’t specify by whom.
Lindsay Graham just returned from Ukraine and was scheduled to go straight onto Meet the Press…..but….yeah, he didn’t make it. Won’t be able to be all like let’s send weapons to zelensky.
Pesky airplanes and flying from Ukraine and shit.
Nikki Hayley?
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/laura-loomer-alleges-foreign-plot-in-lindsey-graham-death-seeks-probe-doesn-t-feel-like-coincidence-101783847905189.html
Hours after Lindsey Graham’s office released a statement confirming his death, MAGA influencer Laura Loomer questioned the timing and circumstances around it. Loomer claimed Graham’s death “doesn’t feel like coincidence”, while alleging a foreign plot and calling for a probe.
Loomer named Iran and Russia in a series of posts she made regarding Graham’s death, wherein she also pointed out signs against the Republican Senator at late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s funeral.
The influencer further said Russia had sent a delegation to Khamenei’s funeral, and highlighted that Graham had been in Ukraine a day previous to his death speaking about a Russia sanctions bill, which he said the White House supported.
https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/lindsey-graham-cause-of-death-poison-russia-opposition-igor-eidman-claim-putin-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-meeting-article-155080771
Was Lindsey Graham poisoned? Russian opposition figure makes explosive claim
Russian opposition figure Igor Eidman has claimed that US Senator Lindsey Graham’s death may have been the result of a Kremlin intelligence operation, citing the timing of the senator’s death and his recent visit to Ukraine, though he has not provided evidence to support the allegation.
Graham had recently said that President Trump backed legislation introducing what he described as new “hellish sanctions” against Russia. Eidman argued that the Kremlin may have viewed the senator as one of the figures influencing Trump’s evolving position on Russia, although he offered no evidence for the claim.
https://x.com/Osint613/status/2076357528825327910
@Osint613
An Iranian government linked group released a Lego style Al video implying responsibility for Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death and threatening others, including Laura Loomer.
The video includes “KT,” possibly meaning “Kill Trump,” and references Monica Witt, a former U.S. counterintelligence agent who defected to Iran.
*Lego video in link.
From my morning reads
Real folksongs from the Vietnam war, some of you old vietnam vets might find this book interesting
(Link)
Lindsey is dead, somebody lost an asset, I guess they can throw those pictures away now.
As to the other conspiracy stuff around his death. He was old and from recent pictures he looked it, not too healthy. So why would somebody risk valuable assets just to kill him. He was doing the job all by himself.
Old age got him; it is coming for us all.
Jack
I asked Google AI …
“Are there any conspiracy theories about Lindsay Graham and Mitch McConnell?”
Yes, several prominent conspiracy theories surround Senators Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, focusing primarily on sudden health crises, recent international travels, political reversals, and allegations of kompromat (blackmail).
Because both politicians have been fixtures of the Republican establishment for decades, they frequently find themselves targeted by online rumor mills from both the left and the right.
Recent Foreign Interference and Medical Speculation
The “Assassination” Rumors: Following the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham at age 71 on July 11, 2026, due to what medical staff described as cardiac arrest, conspiracy theories exploded on Instagram and other social networks. Because Graham was an outspoken critic of Iran and had just returned from a high-profile diplomatic visit to Ukraine to advance a sanctions bill against Russia, unverified posts claimed he was poisoned or assassinated by foreign intelligence agencies like the IRGC. Official police and medical scanner audio confirmed paramedics responded to standard cardiac arrest.
The Senate Health Cover-Up Theory: Speculation has intensified because Graham’s medical emergency happened while Senator Mitch McConnell remained hospitalized following his own cardiac arrest weeks prior. On platforms like Reddit, viral posts have accused the Senate of hiding the true extent of McConnell’s condition. Users theorize that staffers are keeping McConnell on life support or falsifying his status to prevent a Democratic governor from triggering special election laws or altering Senate succession.
Long-Running Political Theories
The Blackmail / Kompromat Theory: For years, a prominent left-wing theory suggested that Lindsey Graham was being blackmailed. Proponents of this theory argued that Graham’s dramatic shift from a fierce critic of Donald Trump in 2015 to one of his most loyal defenders was too sudden to be organic. Commentators and political analysts have repeatedly pointed out on platforms like the Washington Examiner that his shift was actually a standard political survival tactic to remain relevant with a changing voter base.
The “Deep State” Controlled Opposition: From the right wing of the party, hardline “America First” groups have frequently spun theories that McConnell and Graham are secret members of the globalist “Deep State”. These theories usually spike whenever McConnell breaks with party leadership on spending bills or when Graham pushes for aggressive military intervention abroad, leading critics to claim they are secretly working to undermine populism from within.
If one more Republican Senator drops dead before the mid-terms, the conspiracy theories will explode.
Nash, If one more Republican Senator drops dead before the mid-terms, the conspiracy theories will be real.
As Katie reminded us, it comes threes.
We aren’t counting the death of Graham Platner’s campaign, right?
Tough week for Grahams.
@calebmcgeenormanok › Lindsey Graham
“It’s like we got sent a free appetizer because our entrees were taking a long time.”
excerpt from msn Washington Examiner https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-says-i-have-somebody-to-replace-lindsey-graham-after-senator-s-death/
“I have somebody that I think would be great, but I don’t want to say it now because it’s too soon with Lindsey. I don’t want to even talk about anybody, but I do have somebody that I think is really good,” he said.
Trump went on to heap praise on Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC), who has the sole authority to appoint Graham’s replacement, per South Carolina law. Trump’s hold on the party means he has the de facto say over who gets appointed.
The president took time to get in a swipe against Nikki Haley, his former U.N. ambassador and 2024 rival.
“I removed somebody from office that I didn’t think was so good, moved her over to the United Nations … because the United Nations job was not exactly tough. Yeah, it could be very important, but she was OK at it,” he said, referring to Haley.
“But I did it because Henry McMaster was the lieutenant governor, and by moving her, I got myself a great, really a great guy. Henry McMaster has been a really good governor, really good guy,” Trump said.
Proof of life:
🍽️ From today’s Digital Diner menu
https://www.newsweek.com/lindsey-graham-greta-thunberg-gaza-ship-swim-2079813
*About 13 months ago, Lindsey posted this about the Freedom Flotilla taking aid to Gaza:
Graham, a Republican ally of President Donald Trump who supports Israel, shared a photo of Thunberg on board with the caption: “Hope Greta and her friends can swim!“
Craig – If he does, we’ll know it’s Ai because newspapers no longer exist.
Seriously, Andy Beshear needs to get in the stick & hold a special election. It’s what Mitch would have want if the parties were reversed.
https://x.com/ZacksJerryRig/status/2075589333818736826
@ZacksJerryRig X.com
So this is why elon wanted to rush the IPO so bad…China just did it cheaper on
their first try. RIP
*SpaceX isn’t the only reusable rocket system on the planet. Guess Elon must’ve known it was coming.
Start here;
In between Ukraine and Meet the Press Lindsay dies from a mysterious sudden illness.
Stur
You are late the starting pistol fire a long time ago, they are already in the first turn. You gotta get up early these days.
Jack
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/lindsey-graham-death-fbi-kash-patel-b3013490.html
Kash Patel says FBI is ‘assisting local authorities’ after Lindsey Graham’s death
Kash Patel has said the FBI is “assisting local authorities” after the death of Senator Lindsey Graham.
The 71-year-old Republican died from a “brief and sudden illness” Saturday night, his office said. Emergency dispatch audio revealed that paramedics were called to the senator’s Washington, D.C., home around 8:30 p.m. in response to a cardiac arrest.
*Hmmm, do we have our false flag? Did Lindsey choose the short straw?
conspiracy theories can be fun until you forget they are just fantasy. When that happens, they can be a brain disease.
Jack
As that press release proves, Kash Patel is an idiot, He always has been that is how he got the job.
Edit: Remember that Patel only has an audience of 1. So what conspiracy theory is going through the “big Guy”‘s brain? Interesting in a “chinese curse” sort of way. When you believe nonsensical conspiracies, you only irritate those around you. The “big guy” has his finger on the nuclear button.
Jack
So they will investigate a heart attack, but not deaths of immigrants and ICE protesters by law enforcement?
As the FBI doesn’t investigate heart attacks or other acts of God, why the press release?
Is Trump’s algo locked on a fun conspiracy theory? If so, is it those nasty antifa liberals or the Iranians. Can’t be the Russians from Trumps pov Putin is blameless.
Jack
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/businessman-sold-land-kushner-resort-080551044.html
Businessman who sold land for Kushner resort in Albania suspected of faking the deeds
A Miami-based businessman wanted in Albania for allegedly laundering drug money is suspected of faking the deeds to land where Jared Kushner wants to build a multi-billion-dollar resort, the country’s organised crime-fighting agency said in case files reviewed by Reuters.
The businessman, Artur Shehu, denies all accusations against him, said his lawyer, Kujtim Cakrani, who confirmed that Albanian prosecutors had issued a warrant seeking Shehu’s arrest for laundering money for drug gangs.
*Did the grifters get grifted?
Exactly. Why the press release from the FBI?
Are they planning to blame Iran or Russia?
False flag?
Gotta start somewhere.
Dodo must be a bit nervous right now and calling for FBI et al to do their stuff. can’t rightly say it’s paranoia on his part since there actually are folks saying they are out to do him in.
Sometimes I repeat myself.
Hispanic Trump voters are hitting a breaking point over ICE profiling. When multi-generational citizens are afraid to leave the house, the political calculation backfires. The right wing needs the issue, not a solution.
Trail Mix Live:
Guatemala
Iran Contra
Reagan with hold the hostages a bit longer, just till the election…..Nixon with keep the peace negotiations going a bit, just until the election
JFK
MLK Jr
Bobby Kennedy
Brits and the USA getting rid of Iran’s elected leader for the murderius Shah in 1953
Just for starters.
Conspiracy theories are irritating?
Gimme a break, Snskr.
Colonel mustard in the conservatory with the candlestick!
https://www.whas11.com/article/news/local/senator-mitch-mcconnell-releases-note-new-photo-sharing-health-update-elaine-chao/417-c458bd9a-f29d-4d57-a6b7-8a0b41fdd53d
see the problem is whatever the situation is you can’t trust a goddamn thing coming out of this regime just like the fucking Iranians, so conspiracy theorize away
Lindsey made these choices even after personally experiencing January 6. Must’ve been more afraid of Dodo than anything or anyone in this life or the next.
Fanone needs to get over himself
So then the question becomes if Hispanics in Houston are afraid to get out and protest, will they be afraid to vote. These ICE raids in their neighborhoods are trial runs for intimidation at the polls.
INJUCTIVE RELIEF:
Hopefully Democracy Docket or others are on this case, but Black and Hispanic communities need preventive action — go to courts and seek preliminary injunctions against ICE Election Day activity.
I’m not following people who talk like that, I thought we were supposed to be the nice ones
🎼 All we are saying, is rest in piss you fucking worthless scumbag 🎶
hare hare hare
no thank you
From Raw Story, no newspaper or pictures.
Late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) office released the medical examiner’s preliminary findings about his cause of death on Sunday evening.
The Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia said in their report that Graham suffered from an “aortic dissection due to Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease,” reported Max Cohen of Punchbowl News. Said another way, Graham appears to have died from a tear in his aorta that was caused by fatty plaques that restricted blood flow.
the Russians tore his aorta obv
Why is the evening news showing a weird proof-of-life pic of McConnell and his wife?
He’s in a hospital bed, wearing a gingham shirt and jeans a la Howdy Dooty, and looks healthier than he’s looked in years. Is it Ai?
Sorry…
I’m good with no conspiracy theory and his heart broke.
That suits me just fine.
I’m going back now to reading Dick Van Dyke 100th birthday memoire in time for book club. A very optimistic man, and I didn’t realize, an early pioneer in alcoholic recovery.
Serendipity.
Bid
He is in a nursing facility, It is too goofy to be AI. An AI pic would have him in an easy chair with slippers and dog. Or something similarly homey. The shirt was his wife’s idea and He has always looked like howdy dooty.
IMO he is alive but I wouldn’t agree to the claim he is functionally able to represent the people of Kentucky. But if that was a qualification to be a Senator then half the Senate would have to be replaced.
Jack
don’t take my criticism of Michael Fanone’s speech as criticism of you sharing it, Ivy, I do want to know what people are saying, and I shall rebuke it accordingly! ☺️
or not when appropriate
I think the fact that the picture is of him in a bed rather than a chair is telling. He probably isn’t ambulatory and spends all his time in a bed.
Jack
I’m sure there’s something deeply ironic about ole Lindsey dying of some sort of heart issue just after going to Ukraine and praising the Ukrainian military, but I have no idea that the two are related any more than that apparently he had a phone call Dumbass a couple of hours before he died.
I will say that an aortic dissection is the very definition of a “brief and sudden illness.”
Anon, accepted, and sadly, this is just a foretaste of what will be unleashed when Dodo finally kicks the bucket.
y’all keep me off social media so thank you ❤️
not a fuckin’ lick of it 😎
her majesty’s a pretty nice girl
they’ll talk about America in the ‘70s for thousands of years
and y’all got to be there
Lindsey Graham help confirm the SCOTUS justices that overturned Roe, and said he felt sorry for what Brett Kavanaugh had to go through (being accused of sexual assault).
Soon after Roe was overturned, Lindsey Graham proposed a FEDERAL 15 week abortion ban, and that ~pro-lifer~ voted to strip millions of children in the US from receiving from food assistance and access to healthcare. Oh, and he suggested Israel nuking Gaza would be justifiable. That’s just a few of the horrible things he did and/or advocated for.
Fanone’s post about his encounter about what a crap weasel Lindsey Graham was is just one more thing to add to his terrible legacy.
Speaking the truth is not speaking ill of the dead.
*Oh, lowered, will there be an open primary?
The South Carolina Republican Party sued this week to close primary elections after legislation creating a closed system failed to advance at the Statehouse this year.
The party has been pushing for years to require party registration in elections. After hinting about a lawsuit for months, party leaders announced plans for a legal challenge in May but said they wanted to wait to submit court filings until after last month’s statewide primaries, which included a question about party registration.
The federal lawsuit, officially filed Monday but announced Wednesday, argues the party has a right to choose who it does and doesn’t associate with under the First Amendment.
Lindsay was a closeted gay guy who did anything he could for acceptance
Appreciate the human tragedy
Death comes for us all
sue me now, Lindsay 😊
remind you of anyone btw
initials rhyme with schmay zee
schmames schmowman?
I can’t bring myself to give a shit about Lindsey dying. Sorry, Lindsey. Being of little import in the end doesn’t matter much, does it?
a friend in the graphics department of a newspaper says the original tha McConnell’s office sent to them was weirdly low resolution and unusually small. And the identifying info usually embedded in digital images is missing.
first thing I noticed was her shirt has no buttons, but I guess that’s a fashion thing
Man i don’t care more than I should about Lindsay but the online spite mongers are all full of shit, hearts full of hate, them and their phony policy agendas can pound sand
Virtue signaling mental patients
and don’t think I’m the only one it’s turning off
Orwell called it “the 2 Minutes Hate”
or maybe it was 3 minutes
been a while 🤷
Desperate enough to stoop to any subterfuge to maintain their flimsy grip on power.
The GOP civil war in South Carolina:
A dead senator scrambles the map. Watch Republicans ruthlessly tear each other apart for the crown.
🍽️ From today’s Digital Diner menu
Billy Nova writes, “It’s looking better this afternoon in South Carolina for the GOPee Lindsey replacement! So far I’ve seen Joe Wilson, Nancy Mace gonna “poll” it, Nikki Haley interested, Trump’s Treasury Secretary being encouraged to run. Hopefully they’ll have enough creeps soon for a full circle firing squad!!!”
I hope I am that happy in hospice damn
If I had to pick away to go, I would pick Lyndsay’s over most any other way. For sure over waiting for my brain to quit functioning as I suspect Mitch is doing.
It would be a good way to go, but just not today.
Jack
lol literally just said the same thing to someone almost verbatim jack
This guy looks in worse shape than Mitch, at least Mitch has an excuse for being goofy. You think I would click on that link? Listen to anything he has to say? Aieee!
What the internet has come to.
Jack
I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandpa, not screaming and crying like everyone else in the car.
lol
deep thoughts
culture is what it is now jack
did lol at him looking worse than Mitch; that guy actually has a pleasant voice but he’s been predicting Fucko’s demise for months and Fucko is still here and as destructive as ever
I got my gas pipes moved in the kitchen so my stove is in a better spot. The young man was good and reasonable. I even gave him a $50 tip and told him he wasn’t charging enough. Now all I have to do is get my fridge in place and I will have a kitchen to work in. But the fridge will have to wait until I get the tile laid down. That will probably be a slow process as I’m not as fast on my knees as I used to be. For some reason the floor gets farther away as I bend over.
I do kinda miss Sherry on days like this, I got the stove in and wanted to turn around and say “what do ya think?”
Jack
that is the life after death they talk about
heaven is your heart
some people think it’s in the sky because it’s easier to look up than in
that’s why you don’t wanna corrupt your heart with hate because other people have to live there
it’s like taking your shoes off before you walk in the house
lookin forward to a kitchen tour, Jack
Cannons on the hill:
🍽️ From today’s Digital Diner menu
without quoting anything specifically, I have been heartened this past week by reasonable, centrist thought expressed in some of the media i consume
so pretty sure I’m relatively sane
for now
https://www.horatiosgarden.org.uk/
rehabilitative garden for spinal injury patients, pretty amazing
i can already tell the new Little House on the Prarie adaptation on Netflix is going to be a sensation, looks very good
can now confirm, is fantastic
Graham’s sudden death leaves Trump without his top war whisperer and the GOP scrambling to hold on to the Senate.
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