NewsFlash

It's definitely Monday.


Stephen Miller Rails Against 'Elderly White Hippies' Protesting In DC In Unhinged Rant - https://www.comicsands.com/miller-elderly-white-hippies?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=infeed&utm_campaign=linkprogram#Echobox=1755904463

And

An oldie [2017] to which we should have paid more attention:  Putin's Man in the White House - https://www.newsweek.com/trump-putin-man-white-house-russia-investigation-scandal-moscow-kremlin-755321

And

US fighters intercept Russian aircraft off Alaska for 3rd time in a week - https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/us-fighters-intercept-russian-aircraft-073851684.html [You would think the Russians bombing a US factory in Ukraine would have sent a clear-enough signal. They're pulling on the leash again?]

And

CECOT for an Autism Awareness tattoo - https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/08/cecot-interviews-torture-venezuela-bukele-trump-neri-alvarado-zombrano-el-salvarado-bukele/

And

Trump Threatens NBC, ABC Licenses Over News Coverage - https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/trump-threatens-nbc-abc-licenses-030745625.html

Trump threatens to investigate Chris Christie after the former New Jersey governor criticized him on ABC’s This Week earlier on Sunday. - https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/donald-trump-threatens-investigate-chris-022600554.html

Trump threatens 200% tariff on China over key part that shut down US car plants - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/cars/article-15032863/Trump-threatens-200-tariff-China-magnets-shut-US-car-plants.html

Trump threatens lawsuit over century-old Senate tradition delaying his nominees - https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-threatens-lawsuit-over-century-old-senate-tradition-delaying-his-nominees

Trump threatens ‘cashless bail’ cities - https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/bondi-meet-nypd-trump-threatens-164655335.html

Trump threatens to cut off Key bridge repair money after Maryland governor tells him to keep National Guard out of Baltimore - https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-threatens-cut-off-key-225428093.html

Trump’s tariffs threaten India - https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1338801-modi-offers-tax-cuts-as-trumps-tariffs-threaten-india

There's this one recurring word/theme here, isn't there? This is not the strategy of a diplomat.


And in the raised-eyebrow category:

The president appeared to confuse multiple officials, invented a governor, and warned of invasive fish in a chaotic Oval Office appearance. - https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/president-appeared-confuse-multiple-officials-173521490.html

Trump Fires Director Of Digital Content After New TikTok Account Is Met With Thousands Of Trolling Comments Demanding Release of Epstein Files - https://www.comicsands.com/trump-mclaughlin-tiktok-epstein

Heh heh heh heh heh .....  https://www.chron.com/culture/article/texas-democrats-nicole-collier-venton-jones-20826217.php

Colors of censorship:

Florida paints Pulse crosswalk black again after protesters colored it rainbow.  Protesters have used multicolored chalk to fill in the crosswalk repeatedly since the state Transportation Department initially painted over the rainbow colors last week.  -  https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/florida-paints-pulse-crosswalk-black-protesters-colored-rainbow-rcna227073

A senior federal judge on Monday ordered Trump administration official Kari Lake to submit to questioning under oath in ongoing litigation over her efforts to effectively dismantle Voice of America despite Congressional mandates that it be maintained. - https://www.npr.org/2025/08/26/nx-s1-5506283/judge-order-kari-lake-sworn-deposition-voice-of-america-oath-usagm

Supreme Court Leaves Door Open for Government to Censor Speech Through Collusion With Social Media Companies - https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/on_the_front_lines/supreme_court_leaves_door_open_for_government_to_censor_speech_through_collusion_with_social_media_companies

FCC commissioner: Trump on a mission to ‘censor and control’ media  - https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5272508-fcc-commissioner-trump-media-paramount-cbs-news/  and  https://www.cjr.org/analysis/anna-gomez-democrat-fcc-paramount-carr.php

A new executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday will allow for the prosecution of people involved in the burning of the American flag. This is in direct opposition to a precedent set by the Supreme Court in the Texas vs. Johnson case in 1989 that deemed the action an act of "symbolic speech."   https://www.axios.com/2025/08/25/trump-flag-burning-executive-order


And intimidation attempts:

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-speech-news-conference-full-text-trump/

“A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator” [Yeah, no they're not.] - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-says-americans-want-dictator-1235414824/

Yep, another Tuesday in America:


The DOJ sued the entire federal district bench in Maryland. A judge just dismissed the case as against the rule of law - https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-appointed-judge-dismisses-doj-lawsuit-maryland/story?id=124988146


Utah Strikes Down Gerrymandered Map, Reinstates Voter-Approved Redistricting Reforms - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/utah-strikes-down-gerrymandered-map-reinstates-voter-approved-redistricting-reforms/


DOJ Prosecutors Fail 3 Times to Charge Woman With Felony Assault of F.B.I. Agent in D.C.. -  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/us-prosecutors-fail-three-times-to-secure-indictment-in-fbi-assault-case/ar-AA1LghHa


Trump Moves To Fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook - https://www.newsweek.com/schumer-trump-lisa-cook-fed-mortgages-savings-2119187
[Note - no authority.]


 VP had the water levels of the lake adjusted to host a kayak-themed birthday party. - https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/vice-president-jd-vance-faces-233000418.html


COVID-19 Vaccine - There are reports in numerous media sources saying the Trump admin is about to pull approval for Covid-19 vaccines. If you're in the USA and plan to get a vaccine, you might want to keep an eye on this and plan to get one earlier than waiting until later in the year.

Alt National Park Service    https://bsky.app/profile/altnps.bsky.social/post/3lxcwpjmcys2k
‪@altnps.bsky.social‬

In June, officials at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) moved a live copy of the Social Security Administration’s Numerical Identification System (NUMIDENT) into a cloud environment “without any independent security or oversight mechanisms in place,”according to a whistle-blower complaint from SSA’s Chief Data Officer, Charles Borges. The move, he warned, “created enormous vulnerabilities” and exposed the personal data of more than 300 million Americans.  The NUMIDENT database is one of the country’s most sensitive repositories, containing not only Social Security numbers but also names, dates and places of birth, addresses, citizenship status, parents’ identifiers, and other highly personal details. Borges stressed that “unauthorized access to the NUMIDENT would be considered catastrophic impact to SSA beneficiaries and SSA programs.”

An internal risk assessment shared with DOGE officials described the project as “very high risk,” noting that developers would have the power to create publicly accessible services, effectively leaving the database open to outside intrusion. Despite those warnings, Borges reported that DOGE-affiliated official Michael Russo simply approved the transfer with a one-word response: “Approved…”  Later, DOGE’s newly installed CIO, Aram Moghaddassi, issued what Borges called a “Provisional Authorization to Operate” for the system, declaring: “I have determined the business need is higher than the security risk associated with this implementation and I accept all risks associated with this implementation and operation.”

Borges countered that it was not DOGE assuming the risk, but “the American people who assume the risk” when their most personal data is held in an unsecured cloud. In his complaint, Borges concluded that the actions amounted to “gross mismanagement, abuse of authority, violation of law, and a substantial and specific threat to public health and safety.”

https://whistleblower.org/press-release/whistleblower-warns-of-possible-risks-to-americans-social-security-information/

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/us/politics/doge-social-security-data.html

Link to PDF of complaint - https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/a9f2afd18a79e330/b181d62a-full.pdf

[At Trump's orders.]

Another Wednesday in the USA -




Prosecutors fail to secure felony indictment against man accused of throwing sandwich at CBP agent. It wasn't clear whether prosecutors would try again. -  https://abcnews.go.com/US/prosecutors-fail-secure-indictment-man-accused-throwing-sandwich/story?id=125023855

Denmark summons US envoy over alleged influence operations in Greenland [mind the tentacles] - https://abcnews.go.com/International/denmark-summons-us-envoy-alleged-influence-operations-greenland/story?id=125012946

Trump says the U.S. would accept 600,000 Chinese students, sparking uproar among some conservatives [Someone must have clued him in to how much they pay in foreign tuition and fees] -  https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-says-u-accept-600-191209309.html [cough TACO cough]

Former special counsel Jack Smith responds to federal investigation against him about his prosecution of Donald Trump [Do not mess with this man. He investigated war crimes and is made of titanium honesty.] -  https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/former-special-counsel-jack-smith-195620095.html

ICE Gives No-Bid SUV Contract to Republican Donor with a History of Fraud. The $2.25M award for ICE recruitment vehicles seemed to go around normal contracting procedures. - https://zeteo.com/p/ice-no-bid-contract-republican-donor-fraud-history?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

National Guard troops to pick up trash in DC, work on ‘beautification' projects [I thought their stated mission was....] - https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/national-guard-troops-to-pick-up-trash-in-dc-work-on-beautification-projects/3980033/

Trump administration to take control of Washington Union Station - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-take-control-washington-union-station-2025-08-27/

More Cesium-137 recalls - https://www.prevention.com/health/a65888032/southwind-beaver-street-frozen-radioactive-shrimp-recall/ [Still no word about the source of the contamination.]

When ICE arrests US citizens, there’s little clear path for what happens next - https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2025/08/22/ice-arrests-us-citizens/

Los Angeles - ICE arrests 15 year old US citizen special needs student with guns drawn in front of mom at school. ICE later declares that the family was helping them catch MS-13 gang member after the family filed a $1,000,000 wrongful arrest lawsuit. The family denies any association with ICE.  The ICE statement arguably now puts this family in danger of gang retaliation. - https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-26/family-of-student-arrested-outside-arlete-high-allege-racial-profiling-trump-administration [MS-13 are not stupid enough to fall for that. They have eyes. Everywhere, actually.]

Kilmar Abrego Garcia can’t be deported until at least early October, judge rules - https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/27/politics/kilmar-abrego-garcia-cant-be-deported-october

RULE ABOUT AMERICAN FLAGS:    If you burn the fabric part, you're looking at jail. If you use the pole part to assault a police officer, you get a presidential pardon, praise, and some cash - and possibly a job in the Department of Justice.

And for Thursday, a big deal: the CDC is effectively dead [or in extremely critical condition in the ICU].


"The CDC Director, Dr. Susan Monarez, was abruptly removed, just weeks after the Senate swore her in. Immediately following, three of CDC’s most senior leaders (Drs Deb Houry, Daniel Jernigan, and Demetre Daskalakis) resigned in protest, citing increased political interference." (The resignation letter  from Dr. Demetre Daskalakisis can be found here - https://x.com/dr_demetre/status/1960843433473376602 , copied below.)      More at   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/28/cdc-leaders-quit-susan-monarez-firing

Post
Conversation
DrDemetre
@dr_demetre
My resignation letter from CDC. 

Dear Dr. Houry,

I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business.   I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested.

This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough.

While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people.  This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles.

I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health.  The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people.   The data analyses that supported this decision have never been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other leadership.  This lack of meaningful engagement was further compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors.  Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people.

It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC.  The lack of communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication channels and common sense.  Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function.  Some examples include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career staff at CDC.

The recent term of reference for the COVID vaccine work group created by this ACIP puts people of dubious intent and more dubious scientific rigor in charge of recommending vaccine policy to a director hamstrung and sidelined by an authoritarian leader.   Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults.  Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc.

I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again.  I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season.  Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.”  We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary.  I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us.  Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources.  At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him.  To the contrary, an appropriately briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate information.

The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer.  I believe in nutrition and exercise.  I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability.  Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun.

The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning.  My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so.  I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud.   I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur.  I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed.

For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics.  I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision.Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack from within both physically and psychologically.

Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an institution.  If they continue the current path, they risk our personal well-being and the security of the United States.

Sincerely,

Demetre C. Daskalakis MD MPH (he/his/him)
7:14 PM · Aug 27, 2025





And

Susan Monarez, the newly ousted director of the CDC, refused to fire top agency leaders and sign off on changes to vaccines from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hand-picked panel of vaccine advisers, according to Richard Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting CDC director.    https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/28/monarez-cdc-vaccines-rfk-trump-00533358?click_x=69&click_y=182&item_height=332&item_width=218&vct=25.761

“She said that there were two things she would never do in the job,” Besser said. “She said she was asked to do both of those, one in terms of firing her leadership, who are talented civil servants like herself, and the other was to rubber stamp [vaccine] recommendations that flew in the face of science, and she was not going to do either of those things.”   In June, Kennedy fired all the current members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replaced them with people more skeptical of vaccines. ACIP is composed of outside experts who vote on changes to the adult and childhood vaccine schedules.

EDIT: 

CDC leaders who resigned were escorted out of agency - https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/28/health/cdc-director-rfk
CDC Implosion Continues as Staff Stage Unprecedented Walkout - https://gizmodo.com/the-cdc-implosion-continues-as-staff-plan-walkout-2000649819

My favorite quote of the day:

Mark Jacob
‪@markjacob.bsky.social‬

Trump has indeed found a "solution" to the immigration issue: Make this country such a dumpster fire that no one wants to come here. It's like fixing a restaurant's overcrowding problem by poisoning all the diners.


And then he does this:

Researcher who has distorted voter data appointed to Homeland Security election integrity role - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/26/dhs-election-security-2020-election-conspiracy-00527453


And


Border Patrol arresting the firefighters fighting the wildfire, as they are on the fireline. WTF! - https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/28/us/washington-firefighters-arrest-fighting-wildfire




Seriously, if I don't find something in the "if I don't laugh I will cry" category, at least there is ... check the background of both:

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1L7FVt.img?w=768&h=432&m=6&x=370&y=78&s=767&d=132

and then

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ekena-Millwork-1-13-in-x-14-75-in-x-35-375-in-Polyurethane-Applique-Onlay-Moulding-ONL14X35X01LE/332785799?MERCH=REC-_-searchViewed-_-ekena%20millwork-_-4-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a

[I understand UK can't read this. I have a PNG but can't upload it. Working on it. [Try here?  https://i.postimg.cc/GtRBZ4hL/Capture-Copy.png ]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ekena-Millwork-1-13-in-x-14-75-in-x-35-375-in-Polyurethane-Applique-Onlay-Moulding-ONL14X35X01LE/332785799?MERCH=REC-_-searchViewed-_-ekena%20millwork-_-4-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a#product-section-qa  [Try https://i.postimg.cc/Gp5jNhjz/Capture-2-Copy.png   https://i.postimg.cc/Hx8tCDZm/Capture-3-Copy.png  https://i.postimg.cc/qqfxJbS3/Capture-4-Copy.png ]

“Do not offer thoughts and prayers as you systemically enable such tragedies. Do not claim prayers are sufficient when children die as they pray. Do not pretend you do not understand.”

— Lydia, 16, Minneapolis
August 28, 2025

https://www.startribune.com/annunciation-church-minneapolis-us-school-shootings/601462657
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Minneapolis shooting is the 44th such attack on students this year in the USA. - https://edition.cnn.com/us/school-shootings-fast-facts-dg

It's time to let the kids drive. They surely could do no worse than we've done.

Trump administration plans to send hundreds of Guatemalan children in government custody back to home country - https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/29/politics/migrant-kids-guatemala-immigration

[I guess they will be no less safe there than here, when you think of it....]


And

Video. Sound on. - https://bsky.app/profile/thetnholler.bsky.social/post/3lxkg63w54c2e


And

Texas GOPer Who Blocked Filibuster Shared Approach to Immigrants: ‘Shoot, Shovel and Shut Up’ - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/texas-goper-who-blocked-filibuster-shared-approach-to-immigrants-shoot-shovel-and-shut-up/


And

US announces it is ‘denying and revoking visas’ for Palestinian officials ahead of UN General Assembly  - https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/29/politics/us-denying-visas-palestinian-officials

[Time to move the UN to the Hague.]



[Watch your back, Chicago!]