WendyMcElroy.com
Donations
|
Thursday 16 April 2026
Please donate to enable this blog to continue.Good day to all. If you value this blog and its daily newsfeed, please consider making a donation to sustain it at the Paypal button, Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash links to the side of this post. If you wish to donate in another manner, please write to me at wendyATwendymcelroy.com. Your contribution will be well used and greatly appreciated. Thank you!...especially to those who have supported this blog for so long and so staunchly.
Thursday, April 16, 2026, News and CommentaryMamdani's City Grocer Store. From Jonathan Turley: La Marxista: Mamdani Pledges to Open First City-Run Store with Projected $30 Million Initial Cost. "Mamdani demands a 10% property tax to fund his promises of free buses and other socialist programs." From the New York Post: Mamdani makes surprising admission about the cost of goods at NYC-owned grocery stores [Ed: he will only guarantee "lower prices" for a core set of everyday staples.
From Responsible Statecraft: Is this the grand bargain that could end the Iran war? [Ed: a must read.] AND Why Trump’s Hormuz blockade is headed for a bust.
The blockades are bad but consider them points of leverage for an actual negotiation. Here is what a positive outcome — for both sides — might look like.
From Cuteness: Rescue Dog Puts On Her New Prosthetic Leg And Overflows With Happiness. [Ed: Youtube version of video here.]
From Hot Air: Steyer: I'm Running On the Insurrection Party Ticket!
Guns. From National Today: New York Lawmakers Move to Restrict BB and Pellet Guns. Proposed legislation would redefine air guns as 'imitation weapons' and impose new regulations. [Ed: what next? Photos of guns as "depicted weapons"?] From the Register: California Ghost-Gun Bill Wants 3D Printers To Play Cop, EFF Says From the Epoch Times: Virginia Governor Pushes Amendments On Gun Legislation Amid DOJ Warning. [Ed: DOJ warns that the restrictions are probably unconstitutional.]
From American Thinker: German government moves to forbid ‘right-wingers’ (presumably AfD) from buying property. Meanwhile, foreign Islamists meeting “residency” requirements receive taxpayer assistance. [Ed: presumably, qualified foreigners are not a political threat to the status quo's power.]
Trump & Meloni. From FOX News: Trump blasts close ally Meloni, says she’s failing US on Iran. Meloni also confirmed Italy suspended its defense cooperation agreement with Israel amid Middle East tensions. [Ed: Meloni is the Italian PM.] From the National Post: Trump slams ally Meloni in war of words over the Pope: 'I thought she was brave'. 'I would not feel very comfortable in a society where religious leaders do what political ?leaders ?say,' Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said. [Ed: Orban and Meloni were Trump's staunchest allies in the EU.]
From Hot Air: Irish Government Survives to Ignore Its Citizens Another Day. [Ed: I think the gov. is dead tho' still walking. I just wonder how long it will take to fall.]
From 307 Substack: The UK Is Carrying Out A Rigged Trial Of The ‘ Filton Six’ To Continue Palestine Action Crack Down. The Dissident
Swalwell. From the Sacramento Bee: Eric Swalwell’s finances show cash crunch, delayed taxes, large child care tab. [Ed: a different take on the creep that is Swalwell.] From Just the News: Newsom announces election to fill US Rep. Swalwell's seat set for Aug. 18.
From Garden & Gun: Keeping Up with the Pack. Why settle for one dog when you can have five?
Ukraine-Russia. From Moscow Times: Zelensky Says Kyiv Seized a Russian Position With Drones and Robots. Is This a Game Changer?
From FOX News: House Dems unveil bill to examine removing Trump using 25th Amendment. [Ed: bill would create a 17-member commission to assess whether the amendment could be used to boot Trump from the White House. Seems unconstitutional on the surface.] From CBS News: Senate rejects 4th attempt to curb Trump's war powers in Iran. [Ed: Rand Paul voted with the Dems. Fetterman voted with the Repubs.] From Newsweek: Pete Hegseth Faces Impeachment Threat: Full List of Sponsors
From the Future of Freedom Foundation: Civil Society Needs the High Trust that Only Individuals Can Provide. [Ed: by Wendy McElroy.]
From 404 Media: Google, Microsoft, Meta All Tracking You Even When You Opt Out, According to an Independent Audit. [Ed: I never thought anything else was going on.] From Gizmodo: Meta Thinks Its Smart Glasses Could Stalk People in a ‘Thoughtful’ Way.
From NPR: Why Congress is fighting over a central tool of American surveillance. [Ed: Sec. 702 of FISA.]
From National News Today: Anthropic's Powerful AI Model (Claude Mythos) Sparks Emergency Banking Meetings; US Treasury and Federal Reserve warn of systemic cybersecurity risks. [Ed: I'm watching news about Claude very closely.]
From DailyBBNews: From Abandoned Puppy to Therapy Dog: Hugo’s Inspiring Journey of Resilience and Joy
Big Picture Economics. From ITM Trading: Inflation Just TRIPLED as the Reset Accelerates. [Ed: I know this site is selling something but it is also providing info you don't hear elsewhere.] From Zero Hedge: Kering And Hermès Sink As War Batters Earnings; Goldman Warns Luxury Dip-Buying Is "Premature"
From antiwar: US Southern Command Kills Six in Latest Boat Strikes in Eastern Pacific Ocean. [Ed: it is good to remember that these 'drug' boat bombings are ongoing.]
From International Man: Doug Casey on the Strait of Hormuz, the Dollar, and the Coming Energy Crisis
The Impeachment Fraud of 2019. From Just the News: Ratcliffe’s CIA reacts: New Ukraine impeachment evidence exposes Democrats’ ‘bad faith’. Director Ratcliffe played key role in Congress defending Trump in 2019 impeachment. [Ed: I always thought it smelled to high heaven...but now there's evidence.] AND Ukraine whistleblower said he didn’t want his bias noted, and IC watchdog seemingly obliged. "Some indicia of an arguable political bias on the part of the Complainant in favor of a rival political candidate." He criticized GOP congressmen, recounted that he asked to hide his complaint from Republicans on the intelligence committee, pointed to his close links to Joe Biden’s efforts in Ukraine, and more.
From Tech Crunch: Thousands of Rare Concert Recordings Are Landing On the Internet Archive. [Ed: the library is here.]
From High Wire: The Quiet Kill: How Assisted Suicide Became a Growth Industry
From Sunny Skyz: 'She Wouldn’t Budge': After A Scare, This Loyal Farm Dog Stood Guard In The Snow All Night
From Responsible Statecraft: Is this the grand bargain that could end the Iran war? [Ed: a must read.] AND Why Trump’s Hormuz blockade is headed for a bust.
The blockades are bad but consider them points of leverage for an actual negotiation. Here is what a positive outcome — for both sides — might look like.
From Cuteness: Rescue Dog Puts On Her New Prosthetic Leg And Overflows With Happiness. [Ed: Youtube version of video here.]
From Hot Air: Steyer: I'm Running On the Insurrection Party Ticket!
Guns. From National Today: New York Lawmakers Move to Restrict BB and Pellet Guns. Proposed legislation would redefine air guns as 'imitation weapons' and impose new regulations. [Ed: what next? Photos of guns as "depicted weapons"?] From the Register: California Ghost-Gun Bill Wants 3D Printers To Play Cop, EFF Says From the Epoch Times: Virginia Governor Pushes Amendments On Gun Legislation Amid DOJ Warning. [Ed: DOJ warns that the restrictions are probably unconstitutional.]
From American Thinker: German government moves to forbid ‘right-wingers’ (presumably AfD) from buying property. Meanwhile, foreign Islamists meeting “residency” requirements receive taxpayer assistance. [Ed: presumably, qualified foreigners are not a political threat to the status quo's power.]
Trump & Meloni. From FOX News: Trump blasts close ally Meloni, says she’s failing US on Iran. Meloni also confirmed Italy suspended its defense cooperation agreement with Israel amid Middle East tensions. [Ed: Meloni is the Italian PM.] From the National Post: Trump slams ally Meloni in war of words over the Pope: 'I thought she was brave'. 'I would not feel very comfortable in a society where religious leaders do what political ?leaders ?say,' Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said. [Ed: Orban and Meloni were Trump's staunchest allies in the EU.]
From Hot Air: Irish Government Survives to Ignore Its Citizens Another Day. [Ed: I think the gov. is dead tho' still walking. I just wonder how long it will take to fall.]
From 307 Substack: The UK Is Carrying Out A Rigged Trial Of The ‘ Filton Six’ To Continue Palestine Action Crack Down. The Dissident
Swalwell. From the Sacramento Bee: Eric Swalwell’s finances show cash crunch, delayed taxes, large child care tab. [Ed: a different take on the creep that is Swalwell.] From Just the News: Newsom announces election to fill US Rep. Swalwell's seat set for Aug. 18.
From Garden & Gun: Keeping Up with the Pack. Why settle for one dog when you can have five?
Ukraine-Russia. From Moscow Times: Zelensky Says Kyiv Seized a Russian Position With Drones and Robots. Is This a Game Changer?
From FOX News: House Dems unveil bill to examine removing Trump using 25th Amendment. [Ed: bill would create a 17-member commission to assess whether the amendment could be used to boot Trump from the White House. Seems unconstitutional on the surface.] From CBS News: Senate rejects 4th attempt to curb Trump's war powers in Iran. [Ed: Rand Paul voted with the Dems. Fetterman voted with the Repubs.] From Newsweek: Pete Hegseth Faces Impeachment Threat: Full List of Sponsors
From the Future of Freedom Foundation: Civil Society Needs the High Trust that Only Individuals Can Provide. [Ed: by Wendy McElroy.]
From 404 Media: Google, Microsoft, Meta All Tracking You Even When You Opt Out, According to an Independent Audit. [Ed: I never thought anything else was going on.] From Gizmodo: Meta Thinks Its Smart Glasses Could Stalk People in a ‘Thoughtful’ Way.
From NPR: Why Congress is fighting over a central tool of American surveillance. [Ed: Sec. 702 of FISA.]
From National News Today: Anthropic's Powerful AI Model (Claude Mythos) Sparks Emergency Banking Meetings; US Treasury and Federal Reserve warn of systemic cybersecurity risks. [Ed: I'm watching news about Claude very closely.]
From DailyBBNews: From Abandoned Puppy to Therapy Dog: Hugo’s Inspiring Journey of Resilience and Joy
Big Picture Economics. From ITM Trading: Inflation Just TRIPLED as the Reset Accelerates. [Ed: I know this site is selling something but it is also providing info you don't hear elsewhere.] From Zero Hedge: Kering And Hermès Sink As War Batters Earnings; Goldman Warns Luxury Dip-Buying Is "Premature"
From antiwar: US Southern Command Kills Six in Latest Boat Strikes in Eastern Pacific Ocean. [Ed: it is good to remember that these 'drug' boat bombings are ongoing.]
From International Man: Doug Casey on the Strait of Hormuz, the Dollar, and the Coming Energy Crisis
The Impeachment Fraud of 2019. From Just the News: Ratcliffe’s CIA reacts: New Ukraine impeachment evidence exposes Democrats’ ‘bad faith’. Director Ratcliffe played key role in Congress defending Trump in 2019 impeachment. [Ed: I always thought it smelled to high heaven...but now there's evidence.] AND Ukraine whistleblower said he didn’t want his bias noted, and IC watchdog seemingly obliged. "Some indicia of an arguable political bias on the part of the Complainant in favor of a rival political candidate." He criticized GOP congressmen, recounted that he asked to hide his complaint from Republicans on the intelligence committee, pointed to his close links to Joe Biden’s efforts in Ukraine, and more.
From Tech Crunch: Thousands of Rare Concert Recordings Are Landing On the Internet Archive. [Ed: the library is here.]
From High Wire: The Quiet Kill: How Assisted Suicide Became a Growth Industry
From Sunny Skyz: 'She Wouldn’t Budge': After A Scare, This Loyal Farm Dog Stood Guard In The Snow All Night
Tough Day Kayaking
Wednesday 15 April 2026
"Gentlemen, we are all obsolete."Brad here. The title of this post is the concluding line of a story I read back in high school, decades ago. It sprang into my memory yesterday when I read the Charles Hugh Smith article "Automating our Dependence Will Cripple Us", that Wendy had included in the blog. From that article:
The long-ago short story was "The Macauley Circuit" (PDF). In those days I would read almost anything that was described as science fiction, but I was especially enamored of anything touching upon music synthesis, a driving fascination of mine. (I still have my vinyl copy of Switched-On Bach, by Walter Carlos, which dates me.) After several decades I could remember the title, the story outline, and many of the details of what now should be considered a cautionary tale:
I did not recall the author; at that time, his name meant nothing to me. I've now looked it up: Robert Silverberg. He says it was one of his earliest stories. Perhaps in the age of AI, there is still time to heed Silverberg's warning.
Otherwise, ladies and gentlemen, we will all become obsolete.
There is no pressure now to tediously acquire deep knowledge such as learning a foreign language or learning how to play a musical instrument proficiently, as AI translates everything and can compose music (and everything else) via prompts. There's no longer any need to learn how to write well, as AI does this for us. (Emphasis in original)
The long-ago short story was "The Macauley Circuit" (PDF). In those days I would read almost anything that was described as science fiction, but I was especially enamored of anything touching upon music synthesis, a driving fascination of mine. (I still have my vinyl copy of Switched-On Bach, by Walter Carlos, which dates me.) After several decades I could remember the title, the story outline, and many of the details of what now should be considered a cautionary tale:
A synthesizer hooked up with a Macauley circuit not only didn't need a human being to provide an esthetic guide to its interpretation of music, which is all Macauley claimed. Up to now, the synthesizer could imitate the pitch of any sound in or out of nature, but we had to control the volume, the timbre, all the things which make up interpretation of music. Macauley had fixed it so that the synthesizer could handle this, too. But also, I now saw that it could create its own music, from scratch, with no human help. Not only the conductor but the composer would be unnecessary. The synthesizer would be able to function independently of any human being. And art is a function of human beings.
I did not recall the author; at that time, his name meant nothing to me. I've now looked it up: Robert Silverberg. He says it was one of his earliest stories. Perhaps in the age of AI, there is still time to heed Silverberg's warning.
Otherwise, ladies and gentlemen, we will all become obsolete.
Gross but accurate...
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, News and CommentaryFrom the International Man: The Roman Empire's Fatal Mistake—and America May Be Repeating It in Iran
From NBC: Heartwarming video shows Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch reuniting with her dog. [Ed: youtube version of video.]
Fraud. From the Post Millennial: GOP lawmaker warns 'Stop Nick Shirley Act' will block independent journalists from uncovering fraud in CA. [Ed: that's the bill's nickname. Worth watching.] From X, James O'Keefe: LA Housing Department Financial Officer Admits Witnessing Multiple Instances of Fraud Up To “$10–$20 Million”
From X, Wall St. Apes: American led a team of volunteers who went undercover at the recent No Kings protests in 31 different states and 47 different cities... [Ed: no sure what to think of this yet. Haven't been able to find the referenced data sheet but I didn't look too hard.]
Strait of Hormuz. From Zero Hedge: US Says 'No Ships Made It Past Blockade' As Iran Mulls Hormuz Shipping Pause To Preserve Talks, Which Trump Says Could Happen In Two Days AND Fearing Iranian Escalation In Red Sea, Saudis Push Trump To Call Off Hormuz Blockade. Houthis could close "Gate of Tears," ratcheting up global economic disruption...
From Naked Capitalism: With US Bogged Down in West Asia, Cuba Agrees to Grant Russian Companies Management of Cuban Industries
From Unherd: Europe isn’t ready for an Iranian refugee crisis. [Ed: nor is it as tolerant toward immigration as it used to be.]
Canada. From CBC: Mark Carney enters his majority era. Byelections give the Liberals one of the most remarkable majorities in Parliament's history. [Ed: crap on a cracker.] From Hot Air: Petition Drive Hits Judicial Burp in the Road on the Way to Albertan Independence "Aw. You knew it had to happen, just a question of when and how they managed it, especially since the signature petition drive to get the Alberta Independence referendum on the ballot had turned into a blockbuster success." [Ed: hat tip to Brad who comments, It's a long way from being a success -- "multiple" First Nations are challenging the petition.]
From Dogman Ray: Backpack Man.
AB 2624. From Deseret: California moves forward with its ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’. The bill outlaws sharing the photo or personal data of a provider on the internet. [Ed: Newsom is desperate to hide the rampant fraud in Calif. His Presidential campaign depends on it.] From American Bazaar: Elon Musk reacts to California’s ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’: ‘Investigating fraud illegal’
From the Washington Examiner: Mullin to call ‘entire DHS workforce’ back to work despite shutdown. [Ed: and provide all back pay, including to FEMA.]
Prepping. From Preppgroup: The 5 Places in America You DON’T Want to Be When Society Collapses… From the Organic Prepper: Selco: “Here Are Some of the WORST Pieces of Prepping Advice I’ve Heard". According to Selco, a lot of the prepping advice out there is terrible. Here are some of the absolute worst ...
From iHeartDogs: Ukrainian Troops Use Drone to Rescue Cat and Dog From War Zone’s Frontline.
Everyday Economics. From Reason: Federal Reserve: Without Tariffs, Inflation Would Have Dropped to Pre-Pandemic Levels During 2025. New study finds that tariffs were responsible for the "entirety of the excess inflation in the core goods category." [Ed: I'm sorry but I don't see anything but a very hard road ahead for the next several months.] From Food & Consumer Goods This Week: The Price Jump Is Coming: Why You Need to Stock Up on. Your window is closing. Here's the data, and here's what to buy. [Ed: a bit panicky...and, remember, the fellow is trying to sell you a subscription.]
From X, Arnaud Bertrand: France is on the eve of voting one of the most shameful laws in its history... [Ed: sounds incredibly bad. If it passes, I'll make sure to post about it.] From the Middle East Eye: French lawmakers set to push bill criminalising speech on Israel. Nearly 700,000 people have signed a petition calling for the proposed legislation to be blocked
Oil. From Zero Hedge: Fill 'er Up: Record Armada Of Tankers Bound For US Gulf To Load Oil. Shipping data... shows 171 crude tankers are bound for the U.S. Gulf to load crude oil cargoes…
Housing. From Politico: The war in Iran hits home as housing rebound stalls. Home sales and mortgage applications have slumped as higher rates weigh on consumers. That spells trouble for the GOP's pledges to address housing affordability. From Cato: What the Economic Report of the President Gets Wrong and Right About Housing Supply [Ed: a must read for those to whom this issue is of concern.]
From the Daily Kos: What happens to California’s governor race without Eric Swalwell? [Ed: DK seems to be betting on Tom Steyer.]
Ireland. From Breaking News: Government confidence vote: What was said in the Dáil. [Ed: presiding gov. won the confidence vote, 92-78. The Dail is the Irish parliament.] From the American Thinker: Irish Patriots Are Fighting Back. "Just when I had begun to think that all the “fighting Irish” had moved to America, the Old Country has started to show signs of life."
From Politico: ‘I thought it was me as a doctor’: 10 of the best political excuses ever. From Boris Johnson to Rudy Giuliani, top politicians have come up with some imaginative justifications for alleged misbehavior.
From ASPCA: Healing and Hope: Brie’s Second Act
Israel & Lebanon. From France 24: Lebanon and Israel hold rare direct talks in Washington despite Hezbollah opposition. [Ed: Israel will not let Lebanon go...lebensraum. But it cannot betray the U.S. too deeply, too blatantly.] AND Italy suspends defence agreement with Israel as Lebanon attacks stoke tensions.
AI. From Gary Marcus: Claude Mythos, evaluated From Vinyl Culture: They Cloned Her Voice, Then Claimed Her Songs. AI Music Scams Are Using Copyright Law as a Weapon Against Real Artists. From a folk singer demonetized by her own deepfakes to a fake AI ‘artist’ holding 11 iTunes chart slots, the infrastructure meant to protect artists is now being weaponized against them
From NBC: Heartwarming video shows Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch reuniting with her dog. [Ed: youtube version of video.]
Fraud. From the Post Millennial: GOP lawmaker warns 'Stop Nick Shirley Act' will block independent journalists from uncovering fraud in CA. [Ed: that's the bill's nickname. Worth watching.] From X, James O'Keefe: LA Housing Department Financial Officer Admits Witnessing Multiple Instances of Fraud Up To “$10–$20 Million”
From X, Wall St. Apes: American led a team of volunteers who went undercover at the recent No Kings protests in 31 different states and 47 different cities... [Ed: no sure what to think of this yet. Haven't been able to find the referenced data sheet but I didn't look too hard.]
Strait of Hormuz. From Zero Hedge: US Says 'No Ships Made It Past Blockade' As Iran Mulls Hormuz Shipping Pause To Preserve Talks, Which Trump Says Could Happen In Two Days AND Fearing Iranian Escalation In Red Sea, Saudis Push Trump To Call Off Hormuz Blockade. Houthis could close "Gate of Tears," ratcheting up global economic disruption...
From Naked Capitalism: With US Bogged Down in West Asia, Cuba Agrees to Grant Russian Companies Management of Cuban Industries
From Unherd: Europe isn’t ready for an Iranian refugee crisis. [Ed: nor is it as tolerant toward immigration as it used to be.]
Canada. From CBC: Mark Carney enters his majority era. Byelections give the Liberals one of the most remarkable majorities in Parliament's history. [Ed: crap on a cracker.] From Hot Air: Petition Drive Hits Judicial Burp in the Road on the Way to Albertan Independence "Aw. You knew it had to happen, just a question of when and how they managed it, especially since the signature petition drive to get the Alberta Independence referendum on the ballot had turned into a blockbuster success." [Ed: hat tip to Brad who comments, It's a long way from being a success -- "multiple" First Nations are challenging the petition.]
From Dogman Ray: Backpack Man.
AB 2624. From Deseret: California moves forward with its ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’. The bill outlaws sharing the photo or personal data of a provider on the internet. [Ed: Newsom is desperate to hide the rampant fraud in Calif. His Presidential campaign depends on it.] From American Bazaar: Elon Musk reacts to California’s ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’: ‘Investigating fraud illegal’
From the Washington Examiner: Mullin to call ‘entire DHS workforce’ back to work despite shutdown. [Ed: and provide all back pay, including to FEMA.]
Prepping. From Preppgroup: The 5 Places in America You DON’T Want to Be When Society Collapses… From the Organic Prepper: Selco: “Here Are Some of the WORST Pieces of Prepping Advice I’ve Heard". According to Selco, a lot of the prepping advice out there is terrible. Here are some of the absolute worst ...
From iHeartDogs: Ukrainian Troops Use Drone to Rescue Cat and Dog From War Zone’s Frontline.
Everyday Economics. From Reason: Federal Reserve: Without Tariffs, Inflation Would Have Dropped to Pre-Pandemic Levels During 2025. New study finds that tariffs were responsible for the "entirety of the excess inflation in the core goods category." [Ed: I'm sorry but I don't see anything but a very hard road ahead for the next several months.] From Food & Consumer Goods This Week: The Price Jump Is Coming: Why You Need to Stock Up on. Your window is closing. Here's the data, and here's what to buy. [Ed: a bit panicky...and, remember, the fellow is trying to sell you a subscription.]
From X, Arnaud Bertrand: France is on the eve of voting one of the most shameful laws in its history... [Ed: sounds incredibly bad. If it passes, I'll make sure to post about it.] From the Middle East Eye: French lawmakers set to push bill criminalising speech on Israel. Nearly 700,000 people have signed a petition calling for the proposed legislation to be blocked
Oil. From Zero Hedge: Fill 'er Up: Record Armada Of Tankers Bound For US Gulf To Load Oil. Shipping data... shows 171 crude tankers are bound for the U.S. Gulf to load crude oil cargoes…
Housing. From Politico: The war in Iran hits home as housing rebound stalls. Home sales and mortgage applications have slumped as higher rates weigh on consumers. That spells trouble for the GOP's pledges to address housing affordability. From Cato: What the Economic Report of the President Gets Wrong and Right About Housing Supply [Ed: a must read for those to whom this issue is of concern.]
From the Daily Kos: What happens to California’s governor race without Eric Swalwell? [Ed: DK seems to be betting on Tom Steyer.]
Ireland. From Breaking News: Government confidence vote: What was said in the Dáil. [Ed: presiding gov. won the confidence vote, 92-78. The Dail is the Irish parliament.] From the American Thinker: Irish Patriots Are Fighting Back. "Just when I had begun to think that all the “fighting Irish” had moved to America, the Old Country has started to show signs of life."
From Politico: ‘I thought it was me as a doctor’: 10 of the best political excuses ever. From Boris Johnson to Rudy Giuliani, top politicians have come up with some imaginative justifications for alleged misbehavior.
From ASPCA: Healing and Hope: Brie’s Second Act
Israel & Lebanon. From France 24: Lebanon and Israel hold rare direct talks in Washington despite Hezbollah opposition. [Ed: Israel will not let Lebanon go...lebensraum. But it cannot betray the U.S. too deeply, too blatantly.] AND Italy suspends defence agreement with Israel as Lebanon attacks stoke tensions.
AI. From Gary Marcus: Claude Mythos, evaluated From Vinyl Culture: They Cloned Her Voice, Then Claimed Her Songs. AI Music Scams Are Using Copyright Law as a Weapon Against Real Artists. From a folk singer demonetized by her own deepfakes to a fake AI ‘artist’ holding 11 iTunes chart slots, the infrastructure meant to protect artists is now being weaponized against them
Tuesday 14 April 2026
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, News and CommentarySwalwell. BREAKING: CNBC: Rep. Eric Swalwell resigns from U.S. House after sexual misconduct allegations. From Jonathan Turley: Pelosi's Monster: The Creation And Destruction Of Eric Swalwell. Pelosi immediately moved to protect him... From the New York Post: Billionaire kicks Eric Swalwell out of his mansion and wants $1M back after heinous sex allegations. [Ed: commented to the Post, “F—ing tell everyone I’m a libertarian. F— you, Democrat Party. I’m a libertarian now.”] From the New York Post: Eric Swalwell paid illegal Brazilian live-in nanny under the table with campaign funds, complaint alleges BREAKING. From Catherine Herridge Reports: Eric Swalwell Controversy: Worse Than You Think. Sexual misconduct allegations, leaking sensitive intelligence and more
From Politico: Tony Gonzales says he will resign from House. The Texas Republican admitted last month to having an affair with a staffer in his office. [Ed: so the balance of the House remains more or less the same.]
From Hero Dog Awards: Donald
Iran Blockade. From Bloomberg: Here’s What’s Been Sailing Through Hormuz as Trump Vows Blockade. From CNBC: Trump threatens 50% tariffs on China as report suggests plans for arms shipment to Iran From Reuters: UK will not back blockade of Strait of Hormuz, PM Starmer says.
From the National Review: The Free-Market Case for Data Centers.
From Nature: Do You Have 'Bixonimania?' No, You Don't. Researcher creates fake eye condition to test AI systems, and they failed the test. [Ed: great. People have already lost all trust in the medical profession since Covid. Will it be negative trust now?]
AI Misc. From This Is Money: AI fuels new wave of insurance fraud as customers make FAKE images of damage that never existed: These are the most SHAMELESS examples. [Ed: I must admit, this use of AI had not occurred to me.] From Reason: Democrats and Republicans Both Want To Regulate AI. They Just Can't Agree on How. They're losing sight of the big picture. The possible gains to humanity from AI are enormous.
From the Epoch Times: Oil Prices Rise After US Announces Blockade on Iranian Ports. The blockade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET on Monday.
From the Dogington Post: ‘Everything Changed’: After News Of Remission, Cancer Survivor Readopts Dog He Had To Surrender
Changes in U.S. Taxes. From the New York Post: Tax time 2026: why millions of Americans are getting a surprise IRS bill instead of a refund (side gig). [Ed: gig work $ is now being included, for example. Must read for U.S. taxpayers. Clear explanation.] From Kiplinger: Another IRS 1099-K Threshold Rule Change to Know for Tax Season. After years of uncertainty and changing requirements, the 1099-K reporting rules are now set, and the thresholds have changed since last year. From CNN Health: Tax time brings surprises for some who receive ACA subsidies From the Post Millennial: 'DoorDash Grandma' delivers McDonald's to Trump at Oval Office after 'no tax on tips' saves her $11,000. "Now 'no tax on tips' has taken things to the next level, letting me keep more of the tips I earn and deserve."
Trump v. Pope Leo. From the Independent: Trump slams Pope Leo as ‘weak’ and posts picture of himself as Jesus healing the sick. President claims ‘if I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican’ in Truth social tirade. From AP News: Pope Leo says he does not fear Trump, citing Gospel as he pushes back in feud over Iran war.
From Science Alert: Quantum Computers Could Break Encryption Far Sooner Than We Realized. [Ed: Brad...]
Irish Protests Over Fuel. From Politico.EU: Ireland cuts tax on motor fuel as protests grip the country. The unrest has wreaked havoc on Ireland’s fuel supply network over the past week. [Ed: it is called "Irish democracy". You sabotage what you politically disiike.] From the Irish Examiner: 'They went too far': Fuel price protesters call for national strike. From the Belfast Telegraph: Confidence vote in government ‘big test’ for independents – People Before Profit. [Ed: vote expected today. It will probably bring down the government.]
From People: 93-Year-Old Man Is Reunited with Lost Dog Thanks to a Trail of Smelly Socks
From the Brownstone Institute: What If the FDA Were Eliminated?
Housing. From AP News: White House Sets Out Plan to Fix Housing Crunch. WH economists say deregulation could help solve shortage of 10M homes. From Investing.com: US housing shortage is at least 10 million single-family homes, White House says [Ed: a free market is the solution.]
Impeachment Fraud Revealed. From Zero Hedge: Buried For 7 Years: Declassified Transcripts Blow Up Trump Impeachment Story. In a long-awaited release that sent ripples through Washington on Monday, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) has declassified closed-door 2019 transcripts. [Ed: those who constructed this hideous hoax shoudl face criminal charges.] From Just the News: Impeachment Bombshell: Secret memos expose Ukraine accuser’s bias, hearsay, and false claim. The new memos declassified by Tulsi Gabbard were not available to the public during the 2019 impeachment trial. AND Gabbard says intel community watchdog helped ‘manufacture a conspiracy’ in Ukraine impeachment saga. The revelations are related to the biases of a whistleblower in the House's Trump impeachments proceedings. [Ed: this is far bigger than Watergate.]
From James Howard Kunstler: As the Worms Turn. From Of Two Minds: Welcome To The Theater Of The Absurd. The real world no longer matters, what matters is the performance on stage... [Ed: outer reality has become theatre of the absurd. Concentrate on the aspects of life you can control...at least, to a degree. Your family, your work...]
From Caninely: 11 Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog
From Politico: Tony Gonzales says he will resign from House. The Texas Republican admitted last month to having an affair with a staffer in his office. [Ed: so the balance of the House remains more or less the same.]
From Hero Dog Awards: Donald
Iran Blockade. From Bloomberg: Here’s What’s Been Sailing Through Hormuz as Trump Vows Blockade. From CNBC: Trump threatens 50% tariffs on China as report suggests plans for arms shipment to Iran From Reuters: UK will not back blockade of Strait of Hormuz, PM Starmer says.
From the National Review: The Free-Market Case for Data Centers.
From Nature: Do You Have 'Bixonimania?' No, You Don't. Researcher creates fake eye condition to test AI systems, and they failed the test. [Ed: great. People have already lost all trust in the medical profession since Covid. Will it be negative trust now?]
AI Misc. From This Is Money: AI fuels new wave of insurance fraud as customers make FAKE images of damage that never existed: These are the most SHAMELESS examples. [Ed: I must admit, this use of AI had not occurred to me.] From Reason: Democrats and Republicans Both Want To Regulate AI. They Just Can't Agree on How. They're losing sight of the big picture. The possible gains to humanity from AI are enormous.
From the Epoch Times: Oil Prices Rise After US Announces Blockade on Iranian Ports. The blockade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET on Monday.
From the Dogington Post: ‘Everything Changed’: After News Of Remission, Cancer Survivor Readopts Dog He Had To Surrender
Changes in U.S. Taxes. From the New York Post: Tax time 2026: why millions of Americans are getting a surprise IRS bill instead of a refund (side gig). [Ed: gig work $ is now being included, for example. Must read for U.S. taxpayers. Clear explanation.] From Kiplinger: Another IRS 1099-K Threshold Rule Change to Know for Tax Season. After years of uncertainty and changing requirements, the 1099-K reporting rules are now set, and the thresholds have changed since last year. From CNN Health: Tax time brings surprises for some who receive ACA subsidies From the Post Millennial: 'DoorDash Grandma' delivers McDonald's to Trump at Oval Office after 'no tax on tips' saves her $11,000. "Now 'no tax on tips' has taken things to the next level, letting me keep more of the tips I earn and deserve."
Trump v. Pope Leo. From the Independent: Trump slams Pope Leo as ‘weak’ and posts picture of himself as Jesus healing the sick. President claims ‘if I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican’ in Truth social tirade. From AP News: Pope Leo says he does not fear Trump, citing Gospel as he pushes back in feud over Iran war.
From Science Alert: Quantum Computers Could Break Encryption Far Sooner Than We Realized. [Ed: Brad...]
Irish Protests Over Fuel. From Politico.EU: Ireland cuts tax on motor fuel as protests grip the country. The unrest has wreaked havoc on Ireland’s fuel supply network over the past week. [Ed: it is called "Irish democracy". You sabotage what you politically disiike.] From the Irish Examiner: 'They went too far': Fuel price protesters call for national strike. From the Belfast Telegraph: Confidence vote in government ‘big test’ for independents – People Before Profit. [Ed: vote expected today. It will probably bring down the government.]
From People: 93-Year-Old Man Is Reunited with Lost Dog Thanks to a Trail of Smelly Socks
From the Brownstone Institute: What If the FDA Were Eliminated?
Housing. From AP News: White House Sets Out Plan to Fix Housing Crunch. WH economists say deregulation could help solve shortage of 10M homes. From Investing.com: US housing shortage is at least 10 million single-family homes, White House says [Ed: a free market is the solution.]
Impeachment Fraud Revealed. From Zero Hedge: Buried For 7 Years: Declassified Transcripts Blow Up Trump Impeachment Story. In a long-awaited release that sent ripples through Washington on Monday, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) has declassified closed-door 2019 transcripts. [Ed: those who constructed this hideous hoax shoudl face criminal charges.] From Just the News: Impeachment Bombshell: Secret memos expose Ukraine accuser’s bias, hearsay, and false claim. The new memos declassified by Tulsi Gabbard were not available to the public during the 2019 impeachment trial. AND Gabbard says intel community watchdog helped ‘manufacture a conspiracy’ in Ukraine impeachment saga. The revelations are related to the biases of a whistleblower in the House's Trump impeachments proceedings. [Ed: this is far bigger than Watergate.]
From James Howard Kunstler: As the Worms Turn. From Of Two Minds: Welcome To The Theater Of The Absurd. The real world no longer matters, what matters is the performance on stage... [Ed: outer reality has become theatre of the absurd. Concentrate on the aspects of life you can control...at least, to a degree. Your family, your work...]
From Caninely: 11 Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog
Monday 13 April 2026
Go to page >>
| Donate with Paypal |
 | Donate Bitcoins! |
New Bitcoin address - 30 Nov 2020
1Ee7g7zAUReViPRWtLPBEgnPDRP62qxq3J
1Ee7g7zAUReViPRWtLPBEgnPDRP62qxq3J
Our news can be syndicated by using these rss feeds.
