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POSSIBLE TOPICS: ELECTION INFO; Thinkwing Radio with MIKE HONIG on FaceBook: Threads; Quote of the day from Democratic; Harris County Public Library offers program to navigate FAFSA process for college students; LGBTQ+ youth find ‘healing,’ safe space at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Queer Teen Night; If you see CenterPoint Energy in your neighborhood—you may lose power; Republican Senator Ted Cruz receives endorsement from Democratic Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg; More ground cinnamon recalled for lead contamination; Elon Musk PAC being investigated by Michigan secretary of state for potential violations; House demands info from dozens of major businesses over ties to shadowy ad cartel GARM in collusion probe over free speech; Oil hovers at 8-month lows as U.S. recession fears offset Mideast tensions; Opinion: The U.S. economy is getting closer to a recession. What is the Fed waiting for?; Donald Trump Has Proposed A ‘Massive,’ Radical Plan To Pay Off $35 Trillion In U.S. National Debt; World’s first major AI law enters into force — here’s what it means for U.S. tech giants; Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina flees, army says interim government to be formed; Hungry and displaced Gazans see their misery continuing with Hamas’ new leadership; US and UK expected to be drawn in as Iran prepares retaliation against Israel; 

Welcome to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig where we discuss local, state, national, and international stories. 

Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig (@ThinkwingRadio) is now on Wednesdays at 11AM (CT) or Thursdays at 6PM on KPFT 90.1 FM-HD2, Houston’s Community Media. You can also hear the show:

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Except for timely election info, the extensive list of voting resources will now be at the end.

1. ELECTION INFO: Be correctly registered for the fall General elections.
   1. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is October 25. Click here for the application. Please fill it out, print it, and mail it to our office before the deadline.
   2. Early Vote Centers will be open from Monday, October 21– Friday, November 1 (Mon-Sat: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sun:12 p.m. – 7 p.m. )
   3. Vote Centers will accept voters from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5.
   4. Visit our “What’s on my Ballot?” page and enter your name or address to see all the contests and candidates you are eligible to vote on! (You can bring handwritten notes or printed sample ballots to the voting booth; just be sure to take it with you when you leave.)
2. Thinkwing Radio with MIKE HONIG on FaceBook: A post I found on THREADS from July 31 struck me as both amusing and probably true:
   1. “joeylanyc (Jo-Ann Laifer), July 31: Bill Barr says that enforcing a code of ethics on the Supreme Court would purge conservative justices. Let that sink in for a minute*spoiler conservative justices have no morals according to Bill Barr” [MIKE NOTE: This statement is actually a summarizing headline from The Hill rather than a Barr quote: “Bill Barr: Biden’s reforms would purge Supreme Court’s conservative justices”
   2. My response: “Bill Barr is in a position to know. ”
3. And then there’s our quote of the day from Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee. Tim Walz: “In Minnesota, we respect our neighbors and the personal choices that they make. Even if we wouldn’t make the same choices for ourselves, there’s a golden rule: Mind your own damn business!” (VIDEO CLIP HERE)
   1. That will no doubt be the pro-choice battle cry going forward, not to mention all the other Republican proposals to which it may apply now and in the future.
4. If you or someone you know is applying for college this fall, this may be of great interest — Harris County Public Library offers program to navigate FAFSA process for college students; By Angelica Perez | HOUSTONLANDING.ORG | August 6, 2024 | 3:21 pm. TAGS: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA), Harris County Public Library, FirstGen Forward, Financial Aid, College Readiness,
   1. College was never an option growing up for Celeste Bleu, a first-generation Mexican American. It wasn’t that her parents didn’t support her, but rather they didn’t understand how to navigate the process or expect her to attend college, either. 
   2. The application and financial aid process was something she also didn’t fully understand. It wasn’t until she was 19 when she began working at Harris County Public Library about 13 years ago that she felt motivated to go to college. Today, Bleu serves as an assistant adult programs manager at Harris County Public Library, where she oversees a program that helps people like her navigate applying to college. 
   3. To help people prepare for college, Harris County Public Library launched the Future U program, aimed [at helping] students and adults determine their options for college, and receive help with applications and financial aid. The program operates in all four precincts and was approved by the Commissioner’s Court earlier this year. 
   4. “This is for everybody that doesn’t have a pathway to the knowledge that they need to get to the life that they want,” Bleu said. 
   5. In the United States, 54 percent of undergraduate students identify as first-generation, according to FirstGen Forward. Many of these first-gen students don’t know how to navigate college because their parents didn’t attend.  
   6. Future U is focused on helping families and individuals navigate Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, and the Texas Application for State Financial Aid, or TASFA. 
   7. [Harris County Public Library (HCPL)] has various drop-in locations and events this fall for FAFSA, TASFA or general college readiness help. Check out the locations and events down below, or make an appointment here. Those interested in participating in Future U do not need a library card to access these events.
   8. MIKE: There are a number of “Drop-In Help for College Readiness” events scheduled in August, with the first one on August 8^th Atascocita Branch Library at 2:30-4 p.m.
   9. MIKE: There are also a couple in September and October. Some require pre-registration to attend, and others are walk-in.
   10. MIKE: Sometimes, paperwork can be so intimidating that just trying to understand it and get through the steps can be sufficiently discouraging to make some folks give up in frustration. This can be a great opportunity for getting assistance for getting through those steps, and getting closer to your college dreams.
   11. MIKE: You can find the complete list and schedule by clicking on the story link in this show blog post, or by visiting Houston Landing [dot] org and finding the story.
5. LGBTQ+ youth find ‘healing,’ safe space at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Queer Teen Night; By Monique Welch | ORG | August 6, 2024 | 4:00 am. TAGS: Queer Teenagers, Contemporary Art Museum Houston’s “Queer Teen Night”, Gender Identity, Senate Bill 14,
   1. 9. Rose Yard is counting down the days until her 18th birthday on Sept. 9. While some teenagers may look forward to being able to vote, or getting a tattoo or piercing without adult permission, she is excited to go to the doctor to get the medical care she needs and replenish the dwindling supplies of hormones she needs as a trans woman.
      10. “When I did get my hormones, it was really life-saving,” Yard said. “I don’t mean that lightly. I mean truly, I would not be here without that.”
      11. She always knew she was a girl, but her appearance didn’t yet reflect that. Unsatisfied with the way she looked, Yard contemplated suicide several times as young as 8 years old. Bullying and ostracism at the private Christian school that she attended only made things worse.
      12. After three years of fighting it, she finally mustered up the courage to begin transitioning. At 13, she began taking prescribed hormones, until Sept. 3, 2023, when Senate Bill 14 went into effect, banning transgender youth from accessing puberty blockers and hormone therapy. 
      13. “I’ve worked so hard to get there and then to have that taken away from me … that was really devastating,” Yard said.
      14. But for one night, Yard didn’t have to worry about an uncertain future. At the Contemporary Art Museum Houston’s fourth-annual “Queer Teen Night” Thursday, she was able to relax and enjoy being a teen with others like her. She was among dozens of LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 18 who attended the museum’s event, which each year gives queer teens a safe space to build community. The theme, “Divining Queer Futures,” encourages teens to manifest their own queer world — one free of discrimination, hate and violence. To go along with the theme, local drag artist Kumquat read teens’ tarot, in addition to other activities, such as a queer book exchange, a silent screening by “The Big Queer Picture Show”, an open playlist in which teens could play their own music, and free food, drinks and cake.  
      15. The free program was inspired by the museum’s current exhibition: “Olivia Erlanger: If Today Were Tomorrow,” a  series of commissioned sculptures that was informed by the artist’s interest in “closed worlds” — human-made and climate-controlled environments. 
      16. At a time when queer teens are under attack from book bans, targeted legislation and school boards outing youth gender identity to parents, organizers say the program was designed to support contemporary queer living in Texas. 
      17. “Being a young queer person right now, it’s hostile and can feel abrasive, and it can leave a lot of young people feeling hopeless and isolated,” said Jack Morillo, CAMH’s teen council coordinator, who organized the event.
      18. Those hostile places can sometimes be at school, churches, or within a teen’s family, Morillo said. But museums have more leeway to provide a safe space, he said. 
      19. “This is also in part, I would say a response against that — a reminder that there are like other cushions that young queer people can fall back on,” said Morillo. 
      20. … CAMH’s teen council has for 25 years, curated events, programs and exposed teens to contemporary art. This year marked its fourth edition of Queer Teen Night. 
      21. Queer spaces provide healing, community — For two hours, teens ate pizza, popcorn and drank sparkling water, and participated in the event’s programming held in the Cullen Education Resource Room. Some occasionally engaged with the sculptural landscapes from the exhibition while others relaxed on the couch as they watched a short film tied to the exhibition. 
      22. “It’s really healing to be in a queer space,” [Rose] Yard said. 
      23. Although she now goes to a more accepting school, at times she still feels alienated as one of the only openly trans people at her school. 
      24. “At the end of the day, I still can’t get my medicine that I need to be alive. And that pisses me off sometimes,” she said. “I’ll be sitting in math class, and I’m like, ‘Oh, wait, none of you have had to beg your senators.’ It’s something that I should not be having to deal with.”
      25. Many came for the first time after hearing about it from a friend, through the Montrose Center’s Hatch Youth peer support group, or after seeing a post on Instagram. Some lived in Houston, but others traveled as far as Katy and Spring, desperate to connect with others like them going through similar experiences. 
      26. Ozara Burton heard about the event from a friend who suggested it may be a good way for her— someone who was diagnosed with social anxiety — to get out of her shell. 
      27. “I’m a very nervous person and I can’t properly form sentences,” they said. “Sometimes it’s hard for me to get my words out.”
      28. A similar case is true for Kat Morzheva’s 15-year-old daughter, whom she said sometimes struggles with interacting in large crowds. So when Morzheva heard about Queer Teen Night, she jumped at the opportunity.
      29. “There’s not many LGBTQ activities anywhere and definitely not where we are,” said Morzheva, who lives in Katy within Fort Bend County. 
      30. Although Katy Pride now hosts an annual celebration, such large events can be a little intimidating to forge meaningful connections, she said, and the area still doesn’t have many events catered to teenagers. 
      31. Morzheva’s daughter, whom she requested not be named, started off shy and initially scared to mingle, but within the last half hour, opened up. She even won a raffle, which netted her branded CAMH merchandise. 
      32. “I’m super grateful for this. This is a huge resource,” Morzheva said. 
      33. “People stare when we go out somewhere and you just want to be somewhere where people don’t stare. Representation really matters, and if you do not see other people like you, then you will not be there.”
      34. Toward the end of the evening, staff took the communal experience outdoors for what they called a “participatory performance” celebrating everybody’s birthday, where they lit candles on their cupcakes and sang “Happy Birthday.”
      35. But before they sang, Morillo instructed them to imagine their queer futures. 
      36. “Think about what infrastructure you need to arrive at this future, who you’re bringing with you, what belongs there, and what doesn’t belong there,” he said to the teens as his cupcake struggled to stay lit.
      37. “Think about this world that is populated with so much alive and dynamic queerness. And as you blow the candle, you’re going to imagine if this future has already arrived here.”
      38. MIKE: I think that this is a wonderful way of providing additional community for Metro Houston’s queer youth. It sounds like a great program, and I think that my only concern is that it’s annual. Would it have an even greater impact if it were semi-annual or maybe even quarterly?
      39. MIKE: Even when people are offered an opportunity to mix with like-minded folks, very large groups can be intimidating. They can be too much of a good thing. To have a place where queer kids — already feeling like outsiders and having trouble mixing in large groups — can mix and meet in a smaller, more manageable environment sounds like a great option.
      40. I’ve added some reference links below this story in the show post that I hope can be helpful for anyone interested in this and similar events.
      41. REFERENCE: CAMH Teen Council — CAMH.ORG
      42. REFERENCE: Queer Teen Night, AUG. 1, 2024 — CAMH.ORG
      43. REFERENCE: Katy Pride now hosts an annual celebration: Katy’s first Pride unites supporters angered by school district’s new gender policies — HOUSTONLANDING.ORG
      44. REFERENCE: Katy Pride LGBTQ Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit — KATYPRIDE.ORG

4. If you see CenterPoint Energy in your neighborhood—you may lose power; By Faith Braverman, Digital Content Producer and Brittany Taylor, Senior Digital Content Producer and Kait Catuiza, Content News Gatherer | CLICK2HOUSTON.COM | Published: August 7, 2024 at 2:20 PM / Updated: August 7, 2024 at 4:19 PM. TAGS: CenterPoint Energy, Texas Power Grid, ERCOT,
   1. As if CenterPoint Energy hasn’t caused enough frustration across the Houston area, KPRC 2 viewers have reached out to us, saying they were told by the energy company that they may lose power—again.
   2. During the hottest week of the year in Houston, many residents have been notified that they will be without power for up to four to eight hours at a time. According to CenterPoint, this is all part of their resiliency plan.
   3. CenterPoint says this initiative is focused on a series of immediate actions to improve resiliency and reduce the risk of outages from the next major storm or hurricane.
   4. Titled the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, CenterPoint says these upgrades will strengthen the city’s electric infrastructure as well as the grid and improve communication and emergency coordination.
   5. KPRC 2 reached out to the energy company about when these planned outages will take place. They released a statement saying in part, “customers who may experience a temporary outage will receive notification at least 24 hours in advance.”
   6. But residents are expressing concern with how this outage will impact them. A resident from the Sugar Land area reached out to KPRC 2 about the situation and said this is distressing news.
   7. “If the power is out for 8 hours, we could lose all the food in the refrigerator. My husband and I are lucky to have a generator but most of my neighbors do not have one. I live in the Chimneystone section in Sugar Land. Can’t they wait until the weather is a little cooler?” one viewer asked.
   8. Another resident who lives in Braeburn Glen in Southwest Houston said this outage could threaten the health of her spouse.
   9. “They have got to be kidding! My husband has Parkinson’s, and a power outage means he will suffer from heat. There are no longer any cooling centers. Even when there were cooling centers, my husband suffered from heat exhaustion, and he suffered more from his Parkinson’s! If my husband suffers from these outages, CenterPoint’s answer is that we pay medical professionals. We are retired disabled seniors on a fixed income,” she said.
   10. MIKE: Many commenters to this story are complaining that this work is taking place during the hottest days of the year, on the heels of a power blackout that for most folks lasted days, and for some folks, weeks; and to top it off, the people only get a day’s notice, if that.
   11. MIKE: And power interruptions of 4-to-8 hours are not just a minor inconvenience for many folks. Home temperatures could rise 5-10 degrees in that time. Some people may lose food — again! — in that span of time. And with no plan for those who rely on power-using medical devices, an interruption of that length can be health- or life-threatening, in addition to the simultaneous heat risks.
   12. MIKE: This work is taking place during hurricane season so that any storms we experience may result in less damage to the local grid. That’s a good thing.
   13. MIKE: But it seems to me that there should be ways to mitigate these risks for power consumers while this work proceeds.
   14. MIKE: More advance notice would be helpful. As one commenter pointed out, CenterPoint has to schedule this work and the resulting outages. They should give consumers the benefit of this advance planning with better communication.
   15. MIKE: I also wonder if CenterPoint could include trucks with portable generators into the mix. These trucks could, in at least some instances, feed power into the local grid while the portions being worked on could be isolated from this backup power.
   16. MIKE: Also, in the absence of municipal cooling centers, perhaps CenterPoint could arrange for refrigerated trucks to provide portable cooling spaces for some folks whose health could be seriously affected by pro-longed absence of air conditioning.
   17. MIKE: This resiliency work needs to be done. Our one-two punches from the derecho and Beryl prove that. But maybe some thought could be done by CenterPoint to make these grid improvements less disruptive and harmful to their consumers.
5. Republican Senator Ted Cruz receives endorsement from Democratic Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg; On Tuesday, Kim Ogg announced her endorsement during a law enforcement and public safety rally hosted by Ted Cruz in Houston. Author: Lupita Villarreal | KHOU.COM | Published: 8:28 PM CDT August 6, 2024 / Updated: 8:28 PM CDT August 6, 2024. TAGS: Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, Texas US Senator Ted Cruz, Sean Teare, S. Rep. Colin Allred,
   1. Democratic Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg is backing up Republican S. Senator Ted Cruz as he vies for a third consecutive Senate term in November.
   2. On Tuesday, Ogg announced her endorsement during a law enforcement and public safety rally hosted by Cruz in Houston.
   3. During the rally, Ogg talked about the Justice for Jocelyn Act, which was introduced by Cruz and U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls last week. …
   4. [Ogg said during the rally Tuesday,]”I want to take this opportunity to endorse Sen. Ted Cruz because he has taken action at a time when we Americans and you Houstonians are sick and tired of hearing why Democrats can’t work together with Republicans for solutions.”
   5. Cruz is up against Democratic S. Rep. Colin Allred. Allred won his Senate primary over state Sen. Roland Gutierrez in March.
   6. Also in March, Ogg conceded her Democratic primary race with challenger Sean Teare. At the time, Ogg said she would continue her duties as planned until Dec. 31.
   7. MIKE: This was an interesting turn of events.
   8. MIKE: Kim Ogg has been at odds with the Harris County Democratic Party for a long time. It’s obvious now why that was: Ogg was obviously in the wrong party and ran for office under the wrong party banner.
   9. MIKE: It would be interesting to know if this was always her political and philosophical predisposition, or if she evolved for some reason.
   10. MIKE: And of course, there is the possibility that she was always a sort of “stealth Republican”, along the lines of Dallas’s Mayor Eric Johnson, who ran for mayor as a Democrat and won, and then promptly changed party registration to Republican, much to the understandable anger of many Dallasites who felt that they had been duped and betrayed.
   11. MIKE: In the near term, it may not matter. She only serves as Harris County DA until December 31^st, and then she can be in whatever party she wants, but out in the open.
6. More ground cinnamon recalled for lead contamination; Consumers are urged to stop using the cinnamon product. By Akshay Syal, M.D. | NBCNEWS.COM | July 25, 2024, 4:36 PM CDT / Updated July 29, 2024, 10:42 AM CDT. TAGS: Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Cinnamon Powder, FDA Recall, Lead Contamination,
   1. ALB Flavor brand cinnamon powder is being voluntarily recalled because it may be contaminated with elevated levels of lead, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
   2. The cinnamon product, distributed by ALB-USA Enterprises of the Bronx, New York, was sent to retailers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan and New York. The cinnamon is branded under the ALB Flavor name and is packaged in a plastic bag with a net weight of 100 grams. It features a brown carton packaging with an image of cinnamon powder and two cinnamon sticks centered at the bottom, the FDA said. Consumers are urged to stop using it and return to the store for a refund.
   3. The recall, which was issued Friday, follows a separate alert from the FDA last week about an additional cinnamon product sold in the U.S. that has been contaminated with lead.
   4. That alert involved ground cinnamon, sold as El Servidor and distributed by an Elmhurst, New York, company of the same name.
   5. On Monday, two companies recalled their cinnamon powder because of potential lead contamination after an analysis by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Advance Food International’s Shahzada brand and American Spices Spice Class ground cinnamon were distributed to retailers in the New York City area.
   6. The new cases join a growing list of cinnamon products identified by the FDA to contain high levels of lead.
   7. Through testing, the El Servidor cinnamon was found to have elevated lead levels at 20 parts per million.
   8. While the FDA does not have limits for lead levels in spices, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization has a proposed international safety standard of 5 parts per million of lead for bark spices like cinnamon. …
   9. In March, the FDA warned about lead in cinnamon sold at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar and other stores. Those products had levels of lead ranging from 2.03 to 3.4 parts per million. …
   10. Leigh Frame, director of integrative medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, called lead contamination “alarming.”
   11. “We sort of assume things are safe until proven otherwise,” Frame said. “It’s not until people get sick do we actually have these recalls. Often it’s too late; people have already consumed the products.”
   12. In a perfect world, she added, the FDA would be able to get ahead of recalls by testing food products for dangerous contaminants before people get exposed.
   13. “It’s a little scary to think about all the things that potentially could be lurking in our food system because we don’t have the resources,” Frame said.
   14. While it’s unclear why exactly lead is turning up in cinnamon products, as part of the applesauce investigation the FDA suggestedthat it’s financially motivated. Lead chromate is orange-yellow and can give spices an enhanced color and increase their weight. …
   15. Symptoms of lead exposure may include: Headache, Abdominal pain, [and] Fatigue.
   16. MIKE: There’s some more information in the original story.
   17. MIKE: I’ve read that in the days of the Roman Empire, it was not unusual for unscrupulous merchants to mix lead powder into black pepper. At the time, black pepper was worth more than its weight in gold, making pepper adulterated with lead extremely profitable to the seller but extremely dangerous to the unwitting buyer. Hence the expression, caveat emptor. “Buyer beware!”
   18. MIKE: The story I’m citing here is from July 29, and it’s the most recent story I can find on this topic.
   19. MIKE: As the story suggests, this may be primarily a regional problem in the greater New York City area, and this may not affect us herein Texas, but it pays to know about this story.
   20. MIKE: It’s also an excellent reason to agitate for more funding for federal agencies like the FDA, as opposed to the Republican agenda as expressed in Project 2025 that wants to shrink the federal government so that, as Grover Norquist used to say, it’s small enough to drown in a bathtub.
   21. MIKE: Leigh Frame is correct. It’s scary what can be in our food — what we periodically discover is in our food — because the FDA doesn’t have the resources to surveille our food supply. And the reason the FDA doesn’t have those resources is the constant cutting of funds, mainly by Republicans, for parts of our government that were put in place to protect us, leaving companies to police themselves.
   22. MIKE: As I often say, we get the government we pay for.
   23. MIKE: It’s impossible for us as individuals to know how our food is being processed and packaged. That’s why it’s essential that the federal government have the power and resources to do it for us.
7. Elon Musk PAC being investigated by Michigan secretary of state for potential violations; By Brian Schwartz@schwartzbCNBC | CNBC.COM | Published Sun, Aug 4 2024 @ 4:14 PM EDT / Updated Sun, Aug 4 2024 @ 4:48 PM EDT. TAGS: Elon Musk, America PAC, Michigan Secretary of State, Donald Trump,
   1. A political action committee backed by billionaire Elon Musk is being investigated by the Michigan secretary of state’s office amid efforts to collect voter data.
   2. Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has said he created and helped fund the America PAC, which is supporting former President Donald Trump. …
   3. The committee has been acquiring detailed voter information from those living in Michigan and other battleground states after people submit their personal data through a section on the PAC’s website that says “register to vote.”
   4. After clicking on the “register to vote” tab on America PAC’s website, users in states like Michigan can submit a ZIP code, address and phone number. People with a Michigan address are brought to a page that says “thank you” and asks users to “complete the form below” to help wrap up the voter registration process. As of Sunday afternoon, though, there was no other form to complete below the words “thank you.”
   5. “Every citizen should know exactly how their personal information is being used by PACs, especially if an entity is claiming it will help people register to vote in Michigan or any other state,” a spokeswoman for the Michigan secretary of state’s office said in a statement to CNBC.
   6. “While the America PAC is a federal political action committee, the Department is reviewing their activities to determine if there have been any violations of state law. We will refer potential violations to the Michigan Attorney General’s office as appropriate,” the spokeswoman added.
   7. CNBC first reported on the group’s efforts and how the site does not directly register people to vote for those with an address in a swing state.
   8. A person with direct knowledge of the PAC’s operations told CNBC that, at one point since the group registered with the Federal Election Commission in May, the links on the website were functioning properly — but admits now they’re not.
   9. The group is planning to launch a new website in the coming weeks, this person explained. …
   10. Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, is Michigan’s secretary of state and the lead election official in the state. She has been a vocal opponent of election-related misinformation and taken on such statements made by former President Donald Trump.
   11. The Republican National Committee has sued Benson and other Michigan Democrats at least twice this year, according to legal records. …
   12. Barbara McQuade, who once served as a U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, [said in an email on Sunday that she was not convinced that the PAC was necessarily breaking any state laws.]
   13. Mary Massaron, a partner at law firm Plunkett Cooney, raised concerns in an email to CNBC, but did not say whether the PAC could have broken state laws.
   14. “It is very troubling for any candidate or PAC-funded project to deliberately fail to provide information or a link to register to vote when someone asks because they would potentially vote for the opposing candidates,” Massaron said in an email.
   15. MIKE: This is an odd story. There’s an old saying that you should never blame on malice, that which is adequately explained by stupidity. Maybe this is just Elon Musk’s web site version of the Tesla Cybertruck: Buggy upon manufacture.
   16. MIKE: Time will tell if this is something insidious or merely incompetent, although either can have the same result.
8. I wasn’t sure whether this next story from the NY Post is interesting or just funny — House demands info from dozens of major businesses over ties to shadowy ad cartel GARM in collusion probe over free speech; By Ariel Zilber and Thomas Barrabi | NYPOST.COM | Published Aug. 1, 2024, 1:51 p.m. ET. Tags: Advertising, Congress, Digital Advertisements, Jim Jordan, US House Of Representatives, Rob Rakowitz,
   1. The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday sent letters to more than 40 major companies in its ongoing probe of a left-leaning advertising cartel that has allegedly sought to defund news outlets and platforms, including The Post.
   2. The panel, chaired by Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), asked the companies — which included Adidas, American Express, Bayer, BP, Carhartt, Chanel, CVS and General Motors — to preserve documents and provide information pertaining to their activities with the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM).
   3. “The Committee has learned that collusive activity is occurring within the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, of which your company is a member,” the letter began.
   4. “In particular, the Committee has uncovered evidence of coordinated action by GARM and its member companies, including boycotts of disfavored social media platforms, podcasts, and news outlets.”
   5. GARM, an initiative of the World Federation of Advertisers headed by radical activist Rob Rakowitz, exerts control over some 90% of global marketing spending — and uses its big-bucks leverage to go after free speech online, according to a bombshell House Judiciary Committee report released this month. 
   6. GARM “has deviated far from its original intent, and has collectively used its immense market power to demonetize voices and viewpoints the group disagrees with,” the committee’s letter said.
   7. The letter also noted that Rakowitz has “espoused views stating that a problem with advertising was an ‘extreme global interpretation of the US Constitution.’”
   8. GARM allegedly directed companies to direct away ad dollars from right-leaning outlets such as Daily Wire, Fox News and Joe Rogan’s popular Spotify podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
   9. The Post has sought comment from Rakowitz.
   10. Will Gilroy, a spokesperson for the World Federation Alliance, called the committee’s allegations of anti-competitive behavior “unfounded.”
   11. “GARM is not involved in operational steps relative to monetization eligibility, content ratings, platform assessments or media investment decisions,” Girlroy said.
   12. “The decision where and when to advertise is always down to the individual advertiser, in collaboration with their agency partners where relevant.
   13. The committee’s report accused Rakowitz of telling GARM’s member companies to rely on left-leaning “fact-checkers” such as Global Disinformation Index (GDI) and NewsGuard.
   14. In 2022, GDI, a taxpayer-funded London-based group, unveiled an ad blacklist of 10 news outlets whose opinion sections tilted conservative or libertarian, including The Post, RealClearPolitics and Reason.
   15. In an email to GARM members obtained by the committee last month, Rakowitz wrote that he wanted to “ensure you’re working with an inclusion and exclusion list that is informed by trusted partners such as NewsGuard and GDI — both partners to GARM and many of our members.”
   16. The committee also obtained documents which showed that GARM members were told not to run ads on X, which was then known as Twitter, after Musk purchased the platform in the fall of 2022.
   17. Musk bought Twitter with the idea of loosening content moderation policies and re-platforming right-leaning voices that had been barred from the site, including former President Donald Trump and the satirical outlet “Babylon Bee.”
   18. The tech mogul has threatened legal action against GARM, calling it an “advertising boycott racket” that has targeted contributed to a revenue crunch at X.
   19. An email dated April 14 of last year found that an employee of Danish energy company Ørsted emailed Rakowitz and other WFA leaders to say that [b]ased on your recommendations, we have stopped all paid advertisement [on Twitter]” but added that it is “an important platform for us to reach our audience, so we would like to consider going back.”
   20. Rakowitz denied in a deposition before the committee that he urged Ørsted to stop advertising on Twitter.
   21. Records obtained by House Republicans also show that Spotify, which was looking to join GARM, was told by one of its members, the ad giant GroupM, that it needed to censor Rogan due to his controversial views on vaccines.
   22. An email dated Jan. 27, 2022, showed that GroupM’s managing partner for brand safety, Joe Barone, told Spotify that GroupM would “conduct a complete Trust & Safety review of the Spotify platform and policies” and “begin that process immediately.”
   23. MIKE: The NY Post must consider Rob Rakowitz truly evil because the article features three pictures of Rob Rakowitz and only one of Jim Jordan.
   24. MIKE: But in my mind, this poses an interesting First Amendment question, the relevant portion of which states, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press …”
   25. MIKE: If the Constitution does not allow Congress to abridge speech, does it allow Congress to mandate speech?
   26. MIKE: It would seem to me as a legal lay person that the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) is simply suggesting to, or upon request implementing the wishes of, advertisers.
   27. MIKE: Surely the House Judiciary Committee can’t force companies to advertise on shows that may be against their commercial interests. And surely the House Judiciary Committee is not going to instruct companies on what their best commercial interests may be.
   28. MIKE: If Republicans want to complain about possible federal government overreach, perhaps they should look in a mirror?
   29. MIKE: The way I see it, the Global Alliance for Responsible Media is just another business providing a service to companies that may want such a service. If the service has no market, the business will fail. Since the House Judicial Committee is investigating GARM, I must conclude that the business is not failing, and that their service is in some demand.
   30. MIKE: The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), parent company of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, is a for-profit corporation. Its speech cannot be regulated by the federal government.
   31. MIKE: There have been many shows that have failed over the decades not for lack of popularity, but for lack of advertisers. “The Nat King Cole Show” ran for one year from 1956-1957. It was hugely popular, but could not find advertisers for a show named for and starring by a black man. Maybe Congress could have forced advertisers to support that show. “Star Trek” ran for three seasons, but was finally cancelled for low viewership. If Congress had mandated that advertisers pony up dollars to support the show, it might have completed its 5-year mission.
   32. MIKE: Here’s a thought for Jim Jordan et al.: If advertisers don’t want to be associated with programs that espouse lies and hate speech, and if those shows don’t wish to self-finance, then maybe those shows deserve to fail. That’s what capitalism is supposed to be all about. Or am I mistaken?
   33. MIKE: Also, Elon’s lawsuit on this subject is still pending. Even if this Judiciary Committee hearing were taking place in good faith, it seems to me that it would make sense to see how the courts treat the question before pursuing hearings.
   34. MIKE: I’ve included a couple of reference links below this story at Thinkwing Radio [dot] com. If you wish, you can dig deeper into the businesses under attack by Republicans.
   35. REFERENCE: World Federation of Advertisers —WFANET.ORG (The WFA describes itself: “WFA, the World Federation of Advertisers, is the only global network for senior marketers. Our goal is to make marketing better by championing more effective and sustainable marketing communications.”
   36. REFERENCE: Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) — WFANET.ORG (On this page, GARM describes itself: “The Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) is a cross-industry initiative established in 2019 by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) to help the industry address the challenge of illegal or harmful content on digital media platforms and its monetization via advertising.”
9. Oil hovers at 8-month lows as U.S. recession fears offset Mideast tensions; REUTERS via CNBC.COM | Published Mon, Aug 5 2024 @ 2:52 AM EDT. TAGS: Oil Prices, U.S. Recession Fears
   1. Oil prices hovered at eight-month lows on Monday as fears of a recession in the United States, the world’s top oil consumer, offset concerns that escalating tensions in the Middle East may affect supplies from the largest producing region. …
   2. Prices were supported by persistent fighting in Gaza …
   3. Israel and the United States are bracing for a serious escalation in the region after Iran and its allies Hamas and Hezbollah pledged to retaliate against Israel …
   4. Despite worries about escalating tensions in the Middle East, Brent and WTI tumbled more than 3% to settle at their lowest since January on Friday in a volatile week. Last week, both contracts marked their fourth straight week of losses, their biggest losing streaks since November.
   5. Oil prices were dragged down by U.S. recession fears and after OPEC+, an alliance between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers such as Russia, stuck to its plan to phase out voluntary production cuts from October. …
   6. Slumping diesel consumption in China, the world’s biggest contributor to oil demand growth, is [also] weighing on global oil prices.
   7. MIKE: Additional political, market, and pricing specifics are in the original story. I occasionally include stories on energy because I think they’re relevant to all of us.
10. Opinion: The U.S. economy is getting closer to a recession. What is the Fed waiting for?; By Louis Navellier | MARKETWATCH.COM | Last Updated: Aug. 3, 2024 at 5:25 a.m. ET / First Published: Aug. 2, 2024 at 5:22 p.m. ET. TAGS:S. Federal Reserve, Federal Open Market Committee, U.S. Unemployment, Inflation, Interest Rates,
    1. It was high time, even before Friday’s nonfarm-payrolls data, that members of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee listened to their elders. 
    2. Specifically, former New York Fed President Bill Dudley came out with a powerful Bloomberg Opinion piece titled, “I Changed My Mind. The Fed Needs to Cut Rates Now.” Then another former Fed official, Alan Blinder, had an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal headlined, “The Fed Should Cut Interest Rates This Week.” As Blinder said, “Money is tight right now. With inflation in the 2.5%-to-3% range, depending on how you measure it, the current federal-funds rate of 5.25% to 5.5% leaves the real interest rate — the interest rate adjusted for inflation — around 2.5% to 3%.” …
    3. Unfortunately, as expected, the FOMC statement signaled a key interest-rate cut was on the table for Sept. 18. In his press conference after the FOMC announcement, Fed chair Jerome Powell said: “The question will be whether the totality of the data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks are consistent with rising confidence on inflation and maintaining a solid labor market.”
    4. He added: “If that test is met, a reduction in our policy rate could be on the table as soon as the next meeting in September.” So there’s hope that with the Fed finally joining other central banks and cutting interest rates, the long-awaited cut will provide the “turbo boost” that the U.S. stock market needs to broaden out further and extend the current rally. …
    5. Since the Fed remains well above market rates, they have to cut key interest rates, so a Sept. 18 key interest rate cut is now 100% certain and another rate cut on Nov. 7 (two days after the presidential election) is also likely. However, due to plunging Treasury yields, the Fed should cut its key interest rates by 0.5 points immediately to get closer to Treasury yields. Another 0.75-point rate cut will also be necessary if the Fed wants to be in line with Treasury yields.
    6. Another reason the Fed should have cut key interest rates is that according to MSCI, in the second quarter, foreclosed and seized office buildings, apartments and other commercial property reached $20.5 billion. This is the highest level since 2015, up 13% from the first quarter.  So clearly, the commercial-real-estate sector is under duress, and Blackstone and other commercial-property investors will come under increasing scrutiny.
    7. The U.S. economy is getting closer to a recession, since the Institute of Supply Management announced on Thursday that its manufacturing index declined sharply to 46.8 in July, down from 48.5 in June. Since any reading under 50 signals a contraction, the ISM Manufacturing survey represented the 20th contraction in the past 21 months. In fact, 11 of the 16 industries surveyed contracted in July. …
    8. [A]s the labor market continues to deteriorate, the pressure on the Fed to cut key interest rates will mount. …
    9. MIKE: The story has much more technical detail and opinion. I’ve been reading for the last several weeks that the time for a Fed rates cut has been due and was becoming past due. Let’s hope that the Federal Reserve hasn’t failed to stick its “soft landing” for the economy by waiting too long in the face of some important economic indicators.
11. Donald Trump Has Proposed A ‘Massive,’ Radical Plan To Pay Off $35 Trillion In U.S. National Debt; Billy Bambrough, Senior Contributor | FORBES.COM | Aug 3, 2024,08:30am EDT / Updated Aug 3, 2024, 12:31pm EDT. TAGS: Bitcoin, Crypto, Blockchain, Donald Trump,
    1. Donald Trump, the former U.S. president who’s running in this year’s White House race on the Republican ticket, has surprised many with his embrace of bitcoin and crypto this year.
    2. Trump’s support of bitcoin—a complete flip from 2019 when he railed against crypto—comes after he made millions from a series of crypto-based digital trading card collections and puts him alongside Wall Street giants and Shark Tank billionaire Mark Cuban as a crypto convert.
    3. Now, after Treasury secretary Janet Yellen admitted her fears over the future of the U.S. dollar, Trump has floated the possibility of using bitcoin to pay off the U.S.’s $35 trillion debt pile—which is adding $1 trillion every 100 days and could fuel a bitcoin price boom. …
    4. MIKE: There’s always a Catch-22. Without going into Trump’s rambling reasoning for using bitcoin to pay off US debt, the “stable genius” misses one key point: The US would have to buy enough bitcoin to pay off the national debt, since the US has no bitcoin reserves.
    5. MIKE: DUH!
    6. MIKE: As Captain John Yossarian says in Heller’s novel, “That’s some catch, that Catch-22.”
12. World’s first major AI law enters into force — here’s what it means for U.S. tech giants; By Ryan Browne (@Ryan_Browne) | CNBC.COM | Published Thu, Aug 1 20241:17 AM EDT / Updated Thu, Aug 1 202411:01 AM EDT. TAGS: Artificial Intelligence (AI), EU member states, AI Act,
    1. The European Union’s landmark artificial intelligence law officially enters into force Thursday — and it means tough changes for American technology giants.
    2. The AI Act, a landmark rule that aims to govern the way companies develop, use and apply AI, was given final approval by EU member states, lawmakers, and the European Commission — the executive body of the EU — in May.
    3. CNBC has run through all you need to know about the AI Act — and how it will affect the biggest global technology companies.
    4. The AI Act is a piece of EU legislation governing artificial intelligence. First proposed by the European Commission in 2020, the law aims to address the negative impacts of AI.
    5. The regulation sets out a comprehensive and harmonized regulatory framework for AI across the EU.
    6. It will primarily target large U.S. technology companies, which are currently the primary builders and developers of the most advanced AI systems.
    7. However, plenty other businesses will come under the scope of the rules — even non-tech firms. …
    8. The legislation applies a risk-based approach to regulating AI which means that different applications of the technology are regulated differently depending on the level of risk they pose to society.
    9. For AI applications deemed to be “high-risk,” for example, strict obligations will be introduced under the AI Act. Such obligations include adequate risk assessment and mitigation systems, high-quality training datasets to minimize the risk of bias, routine logging of activity, and mandatory sharing of detailed documentation on models with authorities to assess compliance.
    10. Examples of high-risk AI systems include autonomous vehicles, medical devices, loan decisioning systems, educational scoring, and remote biometric identification systems.
    11. The law also imposes a blanket ban on any applications of AI deemed “unacceptable” in terms of their risk level.
    12. Unacceptable-risk AI applications include “social scoring” systems that rank citizens based on aggregation and analysis of their data, predictive policing, and the use of emotional recognition technology in the workplace or schools. …
    13. … Big Tech firms will undoubtedly be among the most heavily-targeted names under the new rules.
    14. “The AI Act has implications that go far beyond the EU. It applies to any organisation with any operation or impact in the EU, which means the AI Act will likely apply to you no matter where you’re located,” Charlie Thompson, senior vice president of EMEA and LATAM for enterprise software firm Appian, told CNBC via email.
    15. “This will bring much more scrutiny on tech giants when it comes to their operations in the EU market and their use of EU citizen data,” Thompson added. …
    16. Eric Loeb, executive vice president of government affairs at enterprise tech giant Salesforce, told CNBC that other governments should look to the EU’s AI Act as a blueprint for their own respective policies. …
    17. MIKE: The full story goes into more specificity about the application and implications of this new EU law.
    18. MIKE: I’m glad that some major international group has taken this first step. I hope that more nations develop laws and international agreements on what uses are permitted of AI, as well as which uses should be outlawed.
13. You may have heard about the political upheaval in Bangladesh. This story gives some background. — Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina flees, army says interim government to be formed; By Ruma Paul and Sudipto Ganguly | REUTERS.COM | August 5, 2024 @ 1:47 PM CDT / Updated 2 hours ago. TAGS: Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,
    1. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country on Monday after hundreds of people were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations that began as protests against job quotas and swelled into a movement demanding her ouster. …
    2. The flight into exile ended a 15-year second stint in power for Hasina, who has ruled for 20 of the last 30 years as leader of the political movement inherited from her father, assassinated with most of his family in a 1975 coup. …
    3. Earlier, army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced Hasina’s resignation in a televised address to the nation and said an interim government would be formed. …
    4. Bangladesh has been engulfed by violence since student protests last month against the quotas, which reserve some government jobs for families of veterans of the country’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan, seen as favouring allies of Hasina’s party. …
    5. The country, once one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, has been plagued lately by slow economic growth, inflation and unemployment. …
    6. The United States urged the interim government formation process to be democratic and inclusive and encouraged all parties to refrain from further violence and restore peace as quickly as possible. …
    7. Sabrina Karim, associate professor of government at Cornell University who specialises in the study of political violence, said, “There is perhaps some optimism for a democratic transition even if the military is involved in the process,” … adding that Dhaka was one of the top troop contributors to UN peacekeeping operations and could not risk its reputation. …
    8. MIKE: The crux of the protests is about Bangladesh’s job quotas, which as the story points out, “reserve[s] some government jobs for families of veterans of the country’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.” The key point here is families, but that includes “descendants”, and it was apparently used as a form of party patronage.
    9. According to news site, “The Conversation)(which I’ve linked to as a reference), “56% of government positions in Bangladesh reserved for various groups, including 30% for the descendants of freedom fighters who fought in the 1971 War of Independence.”
    10. Now reserving jobs for veterans and their immediate families is one thing. Adding in descendants includes a number of people that begins to grow very quickly, generationally speaking.
    11. As recently as late July, the Bangladeshi Supreme Court ruled that the number of jobs reserved for veterans and their descendants should be reduced to 5%, with 93% of government jobs allocated on merit.
    12. Since that ruling came down over 2 weeks ago, I can only guess that the continuation of protests was due partly to other grievances against the government such as anger over the hundreds of deaths caused by the government’s brutal suppression of the protests, and perhaps is partly due to the inertia of events.
    13. REFERENCE: Bangladesh’s protests explained: What led to PM’s ouster and the challenges that lie ahead (Published: August 6, 2024 @ 10:01am EDT) — COM (“The protests stem from long-running resentment over a quota system that saw 56% of government positions in Bangladesh reserved for various groups, including 30% for the descendants of freedom fighters who fought in the 1971 War of Independence.”)
    14. REFERENCE: Bangladesh’s top court scales back government jobs quota after deadly unrest; July 21, 2024 / 7:38 AM EDT / AP — CBSNEWS.COM
14. Hungry and displaced Gazans see their misery continuing with Hamas’ new leadership; By Ibrahim Dahman, CNN | CNN.COM | Published 10:41 AM EDT, Wed August 7, 2024. TAGS: Gaza, Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh,
    1. Hamas’ choice of a hardline political leader did little to comfort Gazans displaced, hungry, and seeking a way out of their misery after nearly 10 months of war on Wednesday.
    2. The Palestinian militant group appointed Yahya Sinwar to lead its political bureau on Tuesday, replacing Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran in an attack Iran blamed on Israel. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.
    3. The move consolidates power within the organization under Sinwar, who until this week was the head of Hamas in Gaza. Sinwar, a hardened militant with many years spent in an Israeli prison, is viewed as less compromising in dealings with Israel and closer to Iran than his predecessor. He is accused by Israel of being the mastermind of the October 7 attack and believed to be hiding in a tunnel in Gaza.
    4. “I’m surprised about this move,” said Hatem Mohammed, 47, a Gaza-based retired civil servant for the Palestinian Authority that is run by Fatah, a rival party to Hamas. “It’s a hasty, irrational and reactionary move in response to Haniyeh’s assassination. They (Hamas) know internally that he’s not fit for the job. He’s an emotive and hasty person.” …
    5. Sinwar, meanwhile, is believed by US officials to be deep underground, possibly surrounded by Israeli hostages as human shields. …
    6. “We don’t care who they name (as leader). The names are plenty, but the death is all the same. All they’ve brought us is destruction,” said Ismail Jalal, a father of two in northern Gaza who says he struggles to find food for his sick children. “All we’re asking for is a ceasefire. Someone who will be able to reach a deal and save what is left of our people and the children that are dying daily… someone who can practice self-restraint, with no empty slogans.”
    7. Abu Fadi Rafeeq from Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, and displaced in Khan Younis, said the decision to appoint Sinwar was “reckless.” The new leader is “stubborn” and “will let the entire population die just so he can keep his word.” …
    8. Despite some Gazans being disgruntled with Hamas’ choice of political leader, there are indications that support for the organization remains significant in the enclave.
    9. Polling in Gaza faces multiple challenges, including population displacement, people’s reluctance to criticize Hamas publicly and the risks to personal safety in war time. But one survey conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research between May 26 and June 1 in the West Bank and Gaza showed that only 8% of Gazans blame Hamas for their suffering, with two-thirds blaming Israel. Of Gazan respondents, 46% supported Hamas returning to power in the enclave after the war. Satisfaction with Hamas’ performance stood at 64% and Sinwar’s at 50%.
    10. “He’s the best choice to lead the next phase,” said Abu Ali, an injured Gazan who said he was a Hamas fighter. “He’s the only one who has lived this ordeal.”
    11. MIKE: The Israel-Gaza war proves again the old adage that wars are much easier to get into than out of. Certainly, Putin and Russia have had to relearn that lesson.
    12. MIKE: Hamas certainly knew that the scale of their slaughter on October 7^th was going to earn a violent Israeli reprisal, but I wonder if this was what they calculated for: A massively deadly and destructive conflict that is at 10 months and counting.
    13. MIKE: But Hamas is not the only problem player here. Benjamin Netanyahu is leading a far rightwing government of anti-Palestinian hawks with designs on a Greater Israel that would include Gaza and the West Bank and even — and perhaps necessarily — include expulsion of millions of Palestinian Arabs from what are now Occupied Territories.
    14. MIKE: In addition, to an outside observer, it appears that Netanyahu is making deliberate efforts to continue the war and even expand it. Assassinating their Hamas negotiating contact — I think partner is too strong a word — but assassinating him in Tehran was a bold and provocative act.
    15. MIKE: I suspect that at the highest levels of the US government and intelligence community, there is speculation as to whether Netanyahu is simply playing standard Israeli hardball, or if his real plan is to provoke a wider war in such a way as to draw in the US and other Western countries. He has, after all, frequently advocated in the past for a major assault on Iran to prevent them from ever acquiring atomic weapons. Maybe this is part of that plan, and he sees this as the time, enabled by the provocation of the Hamas attack in October.
    16. MIKE: There has been an actual, hot “shadow war” between Israel and Iran for some time now, even before Hamas invaded Israel, but this attack in Tehran was too blatant for the Iranians to ignore. They must The only questions are when, how, and how massive that retaliatory attack will be.
15. US and UK expected to be drawn in as Iran prepares retaliation against Israel; By Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor | THEGUARDIAN.COM | Mon 5 Aug 2024 10.14 EDT / Last modified on Mon 5 Aug 2024 11.09 EDT. TAGS: Israel, Iran, Middle East and north Africa, Hamas, Israel-Gaza war, Palestinian territories,
    1. As Israel braces for what appears to be a likely Iranian retaliation, it is almost certain western and regional powers will be drawn in. Overnight, Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defence minister, briefed his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, discussing, according to Israel’s readout, “a series of scenarios” and corresponding “defensive and offensive capabilities” should Tehran attack.
    2. Gallant held a similar discussion with the UK defence secretary, John Healey, on Friday, giving the new Labour minister “an operational situation assessment”, Israel A day later Britain indicated it was moving military assets into Cyprus to prepare for a possible evacuation of UK nationals from Lebanon. …
    3. Iran appears set on responding swiftly to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political leader killed in Tehran, whose killing Iran blames on Israel. It issued a warning notice to aviation on Monday of danger from the centre, west and north-west of the country, where its missile launch sites are based.
    4. The expectation is that Iran’s response will be more extensive than its response to Israel’s airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus in April, when a combination of 300 missiles and drones were fired at Israel – and the fear is that Tehran’s proxy ally Hezbollah could be drawn in, using its own stock of between 120,000 and 200,000 unguided missiles and drones to strike with more intensity than before. The goal is to overwhelm Israel’s air defences, and so inflict serious damage on industrial sites and population centres.
    5. In April, the complex attack from Iran was essentially prevented from causing any meaningful damage by Israel’s anti-missile defences], while fighter jets from the US, UK and Jordan knocked out slower-moving drones. It is expected that a US-led coalition is on standby again, despite reports of tensions during a phone call last Thursday between the US president, Joe Biden, and Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
    6. … Without the assistance of the US in the skies – and of its allies, including a UK prime minister who would be authorising military action for the first time – Israel faces the risk of sustaining a level of loss that would “compel it” to retaliate further and risk a wider conflict in the Middle East. …
    7. It is often observed that in a diplomatic and military crisis, the biggest risk is of miscalculation – a violent move that leads to an outbreak of escalating tit-for-tat. The brazen killing of Haniyeh has already angered Tehran to a degree not seen since the current crisis started on 7 October; …
    8. MIKE: Cross your fingers and stay tuned.
16. Politico Slammed For Cavalier Blurb On New Hamas Leader: ‘What’s Next? 30 Under 30: Terrorist Edition’; By Alex Griffing | MEDIAITE.COM | Aug 7th, 2024, 3:00 pm. TAGS: Yahya Sinwar, Hamas, Politico,
    1. 1. Politico received a bevy of criticism Wednesday for how it covered Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the brutal October 7th attack, taking over Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
       2. Politico’s National Security Daily round-up on Tuesday evening was titled, “Fatigue and frustration could hinder Israel’s attack response,” and primarily focused on the looming Iranian attack on Israel. However, toward the end of the roundup under the sub-headline “Transitions,” the report read:
       3. — “YAHYA SINWAR will assume leadership of Hamas in the wake of Haniyeh’s assassination, the militant group announced today. Sinwar previously led Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”
       4. Hamas, of course, is designated by the U.S. and many other countries as a terrorist organization for its intentional targeting of civilians and Sinwar has long been considered one of the group’s most extreme and violent members. CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski screenshotted the article and shared it online with the caption, “POLITICO writes about this guy taking over Hamas like he got a promotion in the lobby shop at Covington.”
       5. [A political account associated with the Log Cabin Republicans quipped,] “POLITICO highlighting new Hamas leader like he just got promoted to senior manager at Deloitte. What’s next? 30 under 30: Terrorist edition,” twitter.com/2gonuGAX5Y — Outspoken (@GetOutspokenUSA) August 7, 2024

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