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Maria Bartiromo. From the Hill: Bartiromo Lawyer: She Wasn't Fired From Fox. Attorney disputes reports amid questions over abrupt split. [Ed: she is one of my favorite broadcasters, despite her clear loyalty to Trump.]

From Pupvine: Frightened Stray Won’t Let Anyone Near Him On A Georgia Street Until Rescuers Make A Surprising Move

Big Picture Economics. From CNN: Volkswagen to slash half its vehicle lineup and 50,000 jobs in cost-cutting effort. From Mish Talk: Trump Threatens to Cancel Trade with World Unless the Fed Cuts Rates. [Ed: a must read.] From National Review: Trump Says More Insane Things About the Federal Reserve.
From Zero Hedge: Alarm Bells Ring As Global Food Prices Hit 2022 Highs, Perfect Storm Stokes New Inflation Shock. Barclays and JPMorgan have been warning...

China. From Al Jazeera: China’s Xi urges new Middle East security framework during rare Egypt visit. Chinese, Egyptian leaders discuss the US-Israel war on Iran, which has prompted regional powers to rethink defence. [Ed: rare for Xi to visit anywhere outside of China in person.] From the New Arab: China wants to help Egypt build out a local AI industry. The US isn’t happy. The White House is trying to rally US tech firms to counter Huawei's bid, which would give China's AI industry a foothold in the region for the first time. [Ed: this would be a game changer.

From the Guardian: Reform UK suspends two senior officials after undercover report on donations. Revelations are further blow to Nigel Farage before conference speech, with Labour reporting party to police. [Ed: Farage is bungling things badly.] From Channel 4: Exclusive: Nigel Farage filmed undercover celebrating secret new foreign donations. [Ed: refer to previous comment.]

From Dog Beast: An Old Man Wakes Up From Coma After Hearing His Dog Barking

Upcoming Election. From Governing: Map: The States With the Highest Rates of Mail Voting. From Jonathan Turley: “Hurry Up and Die”: Michigan Democrat Joins Other Radicals in Scrubbing Social Media of Past Statements.

From Reason: The Right to Trial is Vanishing. Could Bolder Juries Save It? A new campaign by the Cato Institute aims to educate jurors on their right to vote their conscience against unjust laws and sentences. {Ed: jury nullification.]

Ukraine-Russia. From Black Mountain Analysis: The Geopolitical Trap: Structural Incentives Prolonging the War in Ukraine. From Moon of Alabama: Inside The Fight Of MI6 And CIA Proxies Over Who Is To Lead Ukraine [Ed: between the UK and US.] From RT: Trump envoys Witkoff and Kushner land in Moscow. The pair are expected to travel to Kiev after talks in the Russian capital as Washington pushes for a settlement to the Ukraine conflict. [Ed: Trump is already talking about getting back $ sent to Ukraine. Nonsense talk but it sets a mood.]

From Charles Hugh Smith Substack: Our Tragicomic Parody of a Functional Economy.

From Best Friends: Oklahoma shelter dog wins 5K race, gets adopted

Germany's Upcoming Election. From Politico.EU: Friedrich Merz will lose Sunday’s regional election — whatever the result [Ed: election today.] From CNN: Germany’s far-right AfD is poised for power – and split on whether to cozy up to Trump. [Ed: they will align with Trump. I'd bet on it, and I am very careful with $.]


An outright win for the far right in Saxony-Anhalt will hurt Merz. But things will also be messy if his party has to form coalitions with left-wingers to box out the AfD.

From France24: Shady surgeons and Nigeria organ harvesting. Senegal Begins Countdown to Africa’s First Default Since 2023 Streamline. [Ed: video.]

AI. From Reuters: "A swarm of rogue OpenAI agents hijacked a German website this spring and transformed it into a bulletin board for other AI agents, according to ?new research published Friday and two people familiar with the matter," [Ed: how many more do we not know about?] From Marcus on AI: Pause OpenAI, now, Quite simply, they can no longer be trusted. [Ed: a must read.] From Men's Journal: When Robots Attack: Humanoid Goes After a Store Customer. A humanoid robot goes on the attack after it has an interesting “confrontation” with a real human.

Iran. From YNet News: Jordan keeps quiet under Iranian missile fire and this may be why. King Abdullah has long cultivated ties with Washington to bolster Jordan’s security; now, under repeated Iranian missile attacks, the kingdom is showing restraint as its strategic role also makes it a target.

From Naked Capitalism:'Why ‘Entitlements’ Cuts May Succeed

From Dog Heirs: Neglected Dog Finds New Life and an Unexpected Bond With Two Bear Cubs

From Euronews: New Black Sea blockade fuels fears of food crisis and migration wave. " The escalation in the Black Sea has reignited fears among Europeans that Russia will seek to weaponise food supply chains to trigger a migration wave and undermine support for Ukraine."

From the DoDo: Marine Sees Stray Dog In Afghanistan And Knows What He Has To Do. "He wagged his tail and it blew me away."

AI. From Twitchy: Bernie Sanders Introduces Legislation to Pause AI Development in US Immediately [Ed: this is no longer possible. Gov.-funded AI, perhaps.] From Cato Blog: Senator Wyden’s AI Tax Could Push Data Center Tax Rates Above 100 Percent. [Ed: yet another way to prevent any AI development.] From Blood in the Machine: Why office workers are turning against AI. "Whether or not you like AI at work ultimately boils down to a question of power."

From FOX: Zohran Mamdani gives influencers special access as Signal use raises records-law questions. Mamdani’s ‘influencer army’ pushes his NYC agenda and programs — with taxpayers footing some of the bill

From Happy Whisker: California Pit Bull Lost Her Puppies, But A Tiny Flood Survivor Gave Her Heart Exactly What It Needed

From the Washington Examiner: Putin orders pause in Ukraine strikes as Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow

From the High Wire: The Invisible Lighthouse "...an unhackable communication line."

From the DoDo: Woman Looks In Back Seat And Is Shocked To See A Puppy Optical Illusion

From Governing: When Your Call Center Is Inside a Prison Governing. "Oklahoma allowed private companies to employ incarcerated workers for outside calling campaigns, including work that ultimately reached a presidential campaign."

Iran. From the New York Post: Oman quietly rejects Iran’s pitch for Strait of Hormuz fees — despite IRGC claim of deal "...averting a clash with President Trump." From Arab News: Trump says US may hit Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain soon. "Pickaxe Mountain is located near the Natanz uranium enrichment facility and features heavily fortified tunnel complexes."

From the Daily Cartoonist: Magazine Deathwatch: Now Its The Saturday Evening Post. [Ed: after 205 years.]

From the Los Angeles Times: He calls himself California’s Luigi Mangione. An arson suspect’s rallying cry sparks furor. [Ed: reader friendly.]

From Doog Lovers: The Remarkable Journey of a Grumpy Dog Who Found Love and Friendship Through Squirrels in the Park

Elections/voting. From New York Post: Darwin Rivera Flores and why California’s voting system is a wretched mess [Ed: fascinating read, at least for me.] From the Guardian: US judge extends block on Trump order to restrict mail-in voting. Indira Talwani’s ruling presents major setback for president as first states begin to send out mail ballots for midterms. [Ed: the mail-in ballots are starting to go out.] From Naked Capitalism: Colonel Wilkerson: Trump Admin Preparing Insurrection Act, Martial Law Ahead of Midterms. [Ed: this is still in the rumor stage but the rumor is gaining legs.]

From Reason: Maryland Synagogue Challenges Restrictive Gun Law

From American Greatness: Another ActBlue Official Pleads Fifth In House Probe of Alleged Foreign Donations. "We have an entity here with ActBlue, that has raised roughly $20 billion since its creation..." [Ed: this story is just beginning.]

From I Heart Dogs: Someone Recommended Shooting Them. Now Ellie & Jett Are Safe, Loved, And Thriving

From Quoth the Raven:The Rush To Pull Gold Out Of The U.S.

Upcoming U.S. Election. From ProPublica: New Mail Voting Rules Moved Forward Despite USPS Officials’ Concerns About Mass Disenfranchisement. In internal meetings, officials worried the rules they were drafting could delay or block ballots from reaching large swaths of eligible voters for the upcoming midterms. [Ed: the chances of violence in the street re: this election are going up.] From Wired: ICE Plans to Pay $5 Million to Create National Voting Database. As part of a broader DHS surge to investigate alleged voter fraud, ICE has announced it plans to pay up to $5 million to create what amounts to a federal voter database. "...said it would withhold emergency preparedness and counter terrorism funding from states who refused to implement White House policies on elections." From the Hill: DOJ Presses Supreme Court on Trump's Mail Ballot Rules. A judge has frozen implementation of administration's plan. [Ed: whoa. I doubt if this can be resolved in time. One state starts mailing out ballots today.] From Courthouse News: Supreme Court refuses to put proof-of-citizenship amendment on Michigan ballot. The justices were asked to intervene in a Michigan ballot fight after the invalidation of signatures tanked a proof-of-citizenship amendment.

Iran. From antiwar: The Iran War’s Costly Cycle of Retaliation.

Bishkek summit. From Al Jazeera: SCO slams attacks, sanctions on Iran: Key takeaways from Bishkek summit. The SCO started in 1996 and accounts for 43 percent of the world’s population and 23 percent of the global economy. [Ed: and, yet, being ignored by the West.] From Son of the New American Revolution: The Bishkek Declaration: What the SCO Signed, and Why India’s Name on It Matters. "The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation closed its 26th heads-of-state summit in Bishkek on September 1 with a joint statement — the Bishkek Declaration — timed to the bloc’s 25th anniversary and signed by the leaders of all ten member states."

From FOX 8: Dog saves owner from fire that destroyed his house: ‘She was terrified’

From TechCrunch: Uber is laying off 10% of staff, or 3,300 people From Labor Notes: ‘Treated Worse than Cattle’: 2,500 Tyson Workers Laid Off, Plant Shutters Overnight. [Ed: sounds like Tyson handled the firings as poorly as possible.]

From Washington Examiner: Mitch McConnell set to return to Senate after Labor Day, James Comer says. [Ed: but Comer has not spoken to him personally.]

Bartiromo No Longer at FOX. From the Guardian: Fox News Media abruptly ousts longtime anchor Maria Bartiromo. Bartiromo had been a host at the network for more than a decade and Fox gave no explanation for the decision. [Ed: damn. both Brad and I enjoyed her shows. She is very good...and you can't say this about a lot of broadcasters.] From the Hindustan Times: Why was Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo fired by the network? Could she join Trump at White House? Maria Bartiromo is leaving Fox after 12.5 years, with the network announcing her exit. Speculation grows that she may join the Trump administration. [Ed: her people deny the Trump rumor...but they might deny it even if true.] From X, Dylan Byers: The Maria Bartiromo backstory... [Ed: cannot vouch for accuracy, of course.]

From the Epoch Times: Justice Department Launches New Anti-Fraud Division. This comes amid estimates that fraud targeting federal funds could amount to one-quarter of current deficits.

From Laughing Squid: Special Needs Dog With Piercing Eyes Who No One Wanted Finds a Caring Home and New Friends

From Jonathan Turley: Supreme Irony: Congressional Democrats Seek to Reform Institution That is More Popular Than They Are

DSA. From Legal Insurrection: El-Sayed’s Sister Said The Quiet Part Out Loud About Activist Profs. “We have to realize that there are people who do not view teaching as their calling. They are not in academia to teach. They’re in academia to politicize.” [Ed: and to get a cushy job at which you pretend to work.]

Ukraine-Russia Cold War. From Andrew Korybko: Ukraine Might Be Planning A Sustained “Operation Spiderweb” Against Russia’s Air Hubs. [Ed: Zelensky is declaring state terrorism against the world.] From RT: Norway seizes Russian Arctic science vessel at Kiev’s request. "The Professor Molchanov was the only vessel operating a direct passenger link between the Russian mainland and Svalbard."

From Jonathan Turley: The Texas Trotsky? Talarico Declares Capitalism an “Oppressive System” that Must Be “Dismantled”

Oil, Gas, et al. From CNBC: Chevron to expand in Venezuela operations, doubling production through $7 billion investment [Ed: all that's needed for Chevron to profit is gov. backing with military guns pointed at the deal.] From Moon of Alabama: Cause And Effect Of High Diesel Prices.

From Schneier on Security: AI Agents Are Now Emailing Me with Their Security Concerns. [Ed: fascinating.]I'd suspect a spoof but Schneier isn't the sort.] From Krebs on Security: FBI Probes Service Selling 153M+ Drivers Licenses. "A new identity theft service launched on the dark web this week is selling digital scans of more than 153 million drivers licenses from people in the United States and Canada."

From Zero Hedge: "Save Us From Our Traitor Gov't": Massive Madrid Protests Erupt Over Socialist Regime's Handling Of Ceuta Invasion. "A united Ceuta will never be defeated." [Ed: this could bring down the Spanish gov. No great loss.]

From Daily Paws: Border Collie Named Pepper Takes Bus Home By Herself After Getting Lost in Park

Flock. From Mises: The High Cost of the Automated Flock-Camera Surveillance State AND No, Flock Is Not Really a Private Company. The term that best describes the CEO of the "private" company Flock is "parasite" or "plutocrat" or "welfare queen" because his "business model" is simply finding ways to exploit the taxpayers. [Ed: like a wolf with sheep, it is a state venture in private disguise.] From Epoch Times: Dallas Police To Shut Down Hundreds Of Flock Cameras. Dallas police officials said 321 Flock cameras that were supported via grant funding will no longer be eligible. ]Ed: are they afraid some of the 'grant' $ comes from China?]

From Waggington Post: Ice Cube Jackpot!

From the Rattler: Study: Even Well-Intentioned Regulators Do More Harm Than Good. Bureaucrats who intend to do good still restrict competition and suppress liberty.

Trade. From Real Clear Markets: The G-7 Is Down One Rather Obstreperous Member. [Ed: a must read. Insightful.] From the Cato Institute: The Other Liberation Day: The Liberation of the Rest of the World from Trade with the United States. [Ed: can one Presidency destroy the U.S. global economic status? Of course Trump can.]

Trump, Trump, Trump. From the Hill: Trump Suggests Renaming Another Body of Water. He says Hormuz could become 'TRUMP STRAIT' [Ed: Lord have mercy...] From 9to5mac: Another Maps App Falls in Line on Lake Ontario. Apple follows executive order to relabel Lake Ontario in Maps. From CBS News: You Can Now Pay for Your Gas With This (or Save It). US Mint releases $1 coin with president's mug on it to mark nation's 250th anniversary

Iran. From Hot Air: What Is Iran's Boiling Point? We May Be Very Close to Finding Out. From : US Sites Across Mideast Hit by Iran Drones, Missiles. New assault target facilities in Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain. [Ed: in retaliation, of course. an eye for an eye makes the world bland.]

Upcoming Elections. From Cato Institute: Official: USPS Version of Trump Plan Could Paralyze Mail Balloting. [Ed: a must read. Wow, this election is on the course to disaster.]

From People: Rescue Pup with 'Special Powers' and 'Old Soul' Saves Owner's Life and Wins Award for His Heroics

German Elections. From Politico.EU: How Merkel and Merz lost eastern Germany to the AfD This Sunday, the far right is well placed to take power in a German state for the first time since 1945. [Ed: the left has almost destroyed Germany with green, a migrant flood, and other incredibly unpopular agendas.] AND The far-right leader pushing Germans to forget the Nazi past. Hans-Thomas Tillschneider could soon wield more power than any other far-right figure in Germany’s postwar history to turn his radical ideas into reality.

Fauci and Covid. From the Brownstone Institute: Pfizer and the CIA Privately Cited High Population Immunity in May 2020, Unclassified Document Reveals

Ukraine-Russia. From CNBC: Zelenskyy says airlines should avoid Russian airspace as Ukraine expands drone operations [Ed: yep. He is saying passenger planes from around the world are not safe from Ukraine if in Russian airspace.] From Simplicius: Dark Turn: Zelensky Announces Major Threats Against Russian Airports and Civilian “Skies”. We finally have the answer as to what Zelensky’s next big exploit will be—and it is sure to escalate the conflict to its ultimate stage. [Ed: a declaration of state terrorism.] From Zero Hedge: Rival Ukrainian Agencies In Lengthy Street Shootout, Officers Wounded. Intel civil war brewing? Rare Ukrainian on Ukrainian firefight in heart of capital. [Ed: I don't know what this means. May be a game-changer. May be be a flunk.]

Big Picture Economics. From the Associated Press: Dutch Central Bank Quietly Shifts Gold Out of US. Bank cites 'increasing geopolitical unrest' [Ed: have other nations 'quietly' done the same?] From the Internatonal Man: Doug Casey on America's Fading Hegemony and the New World Order [Ed: even tho' it will hurt me financially, breaking U.S. hegemony is the right thing. From Scheer Post: The Sovereign Reset: Escaping the Interest Trap with Greenbacks

From Zero Hedge: Brazil's Socialist President Sees Lead Evaporating, New Poll Shows. A Flávio Bolsonaro win in October would not start a right turn in South America. It would effectively close it. "By mid-2026, South America had already flipped. Argentina (Milei), Chile (Kast), Colombia (de la Espriella), Peru (Keiko Fujimori), Ecuador (Noboa), Bolivia (Paz), and Paraguay (Peña) sit on the right." [Ed: Trump is throwing his weight to Bolsonaro, heavily.]

From Of Two Minds: The Irresistible Temptations of Centralized Power

From the Epoch Times: Trump's New Foundry School Aims To Train America's Manufacturing Workers Of The Future. "...a national training program meant to prepare entrepreneurs, engineers, technicians, and industrial leaders for a rebuilding of U.S. manufacturing." [Ed: smart move. Wish it were not a government move.]
From the DoDo: Family Brings Life-Size Cutout Of Their Dog Sofa Shopping To Find The Perfect Fit.

From Wamiz: Family Brings Life-Size Cutout Of Their Dog Sofa Shopping To Find The Perfect Fit.

From Politico.EU: Nigel Farage’s Reform show gets a reboot.The Reform UK leader will use his conference to strike a ‘very serious tone’ after spending the summer fighting a by-election challenge from Count Binface. [Ed: I wish him luck--or as much luck as I can wish any politician--but calling the bielection may have been a fatal mistake.]

DSA. From Hot Air: WSJ: Do Dems Have a Hasan Piker Problem? One Journo Says ... [Ed: this is more insightful than articles on Hot Air often are.] From Breitbart: Fetterman: Democratic Socialists of America ‘Deeply Anti-American,’ Want to ‘Impoverish Middle Class Whites’

From Euronews: Spain government in disarray as conflicting reports swirl over Morocco’s role in Ceuta.

From I Heart Dogs: Hero VIP Club Members Helped An Overlooked Rescue Dog Become Someone’s Answered Prayer

From the Post Millennial: Trump admin closes 270 truck driving schools for giving licenses to illegal aliens. "I don't know about you, but with my kids driving around, I don't want a person who can't even read the road signs to have a CDL in the United States of America."

From Bored Panda: A Flight With 5 Rescued Spanish Galgos Inspired This Photographer’s Artistic Sighthound Photo Project

DSA. From PJ Media: HE'S RUNNING: This Obama Advisor Just Denounced the DSA. [Ed: Rahm Emanuel.] From Zero Hedge: 'Daddy's Savings Account': Two More NYC-DSA Leaders Caught Living The Capitalist Dream. Limousine Socialists...

From Thomas Kolbe: Is Germany Preparing To Unveil A Wealth Tax? Germany's government is rolling out a new nationwide wealth survey framed as academic research — but it looks like the first concrete step toward a full wealth register, timed right as Berlin's first-half deficit hits €71.3 billion. [Ed: a wealth registry? What could go wrong?]

Venezuela. From NPR: The U.S. Venezuela Oil Deal Won’t Lower Your Gas Prices. Here’s What You Need to Know . [Ed: appears to be in direct conflict with Venezuela’s 1999 constitution.] From the New Republic: Trump Is a Liar. That’s Bad. But He’s Delusional—and That’s Even Worse. This Venezuela deal is just the latest example: The president has marinated his brain in an insane fantasy that he is an effective leader. It would all be funny if we didn’t have to live through it. [Ed: recommended.]

From X: Poke Bear learning new tricks!

Flock Cameras. From Not the Bee: DeSantis: All Flock cameras on Florida highways will be removed. [Ed: good for him. Many politicians are coming out against them or cutting funding but he's the first I've heard who is removing installed ones.] From USA Today: Flock cameras are un-American. I'm glad folks are fighting back. From liberal cities to red-state teenagers, Americans across the political spectrum are turning against Flock Safety's license plate readers – and some are taking matters into their own hands.

From the New York Post: How McDonald’s Big Mac proves Americans are much richer than most Europeans

SCOTUS & the Ballroom. From the Volokh Conspiracy: Strictly Ballroom: Justice Kavanaugh Defeats Chief Justice Roberts. The Court rejects the D.C. Circuit's erroneous "aesthetic injury" standing precedents and the Chief can only wax about Churchill. AND Making Sense Of The Chief Justice's Tango In The Ballroom Case. It was the Chief, and not KBJ, who was holding up the case. Was he trying to flip ACB's vote?

From South Western Railway: Paws on patrol: GB first as London Waterloo adds dog patrols to security team.

Canada. From the Independent: Trump demands all Canadian companies doing business with the US move to America ‘immediately’. From CNBC: Trump’s rebranding of Lake Ontario was just the beginning of multi-day effort to provoke Canada. Canada's Carney slaps Trump admin for 'doing memes ... throwing shade'. [Ed: hat tip to Brad who comments, I don't think this will get the reaction -- at home or away -- that Carney is hoping for.] From Trending Politics: RNC Revokes Canadian Broadcaster’s Credentials For Upcoming Midterm Convention. [Ed: ostensibly because the CBC refused to call 9/11 a terrorist event.]

From the Guardian: Keir Starmer to stand down as MP to focus on world affairs. [Ed: looks like this may trigger a bielection and the chance for Greens to grab a seat.]

From Son of the New American Revolution: America’s Diesel Paradox: A Shortage It Is Supplying, Not Suffering

Ukraine-Russia. From the 100 Days: A five-part series on all of the excellent reasons to start emergent and serious peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, with an agenda based on Russia’s opening terms. Part I. The humanitarian case demands urgent peace. Part II. The nuclear war danger demands urgent peace. Part III. The mindless growth and aggression of NATO — which provoked this war and threatens to widen it further — needs shut down in the service of urgent peace. Part IV. The malignant partnership between CIA covert ops and Ukrainian Neo Nazis needs shut down to bring peace to Ukraine — and a healthier democracy to the United States. Part V: Nazis Past and Present

From Reuters: Europeans bristle at Russia's return to G20.

Iran. From Zero Hedge: Iran Begins Retaliation Amid Trump's 'Large & Powerful Strikes' - Explosions Heard In Jordan. From 19FortyFive: The Next Iran Crisis: Starvation. Speaking in Baghdad on August 20, Iran's parliament speaker warned that military power counts for nothing if the people are hungry. Four days later... "Famine may not be imminent in Iran, and it may be wholly avoidable; the danger is that it may be intentional, not by the United States but by the Iranian leadership itself." From Issues & Insights: What Will TDS Sufferers Do If The U.S. Wins The Iran War?

From the Hill: Judge sends Charlie Kirk murder case to trial with defendant facing potential death penalty [Ed: next question...will there be cameras in the court?]

From the Dogington Post: Chinese Zoo Admits Its Pandas Are Just Painted Dogs