Media PSYOP 'Operation Mockingbird' Still Targeting Americans: Gabbard

Via JonFleetwood.com,

The CIA’s infamous Cold War propaganda and psychological operation (PSYOP) program never died—it just turned inward...

The question isn’t whether the government is manipulating Americans, but how they’re doing it right now—through intelligence leaks, media collusion, psychological tactics, and taxpayer-funded propaganda.

That was the warning from U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard during a searing July 31 interview, where she confirmed that intelligence insiders are actively using corporate media to manipulate the American people and sabotage President Donald Trump’s agenda—echoing the tactics of ‘Operation Mockingbird.’

Every major news organization or its parent companies, from FOX News to CNN, are owned by globalist-aligned asset managers like BlackRock, an offical partner of the anti-American-sovereignty World Economic Forum (WEF).

“There are people within the intelligence community who believe that their will is more important than the will of the American people,” Gabbard told conservative host Benny Johnson. “[They] will weaponize intelligence by leaking it to their friends within the mainstream media with the intent of undermining President Trump’s agenda.”

Mockingbird Reloaded: Intelligence Tools Aimed at Americans

Once a covert CIA program used to plant propaganda in foreign and domestic media, Operation Mockingbird infiltrated major U.S. newsrooms throughout the 1950s–1970s.

It was exposed during the Church Committee hearings, where Congress revealed that the agency maintained relationships with hundreds of journalists to shape public perception.

Today, Gabbard says, that same playbook is being deployed against Americans.

Only now, it’s fully digital, algorithmic, and taxpayer-funded.

“They are subverting the will of the people and therefore undermining the Constitution,” Gabbard warned.

From CIA to CDC: Government Propaganda Is Now a Domestic Industry

Gabbard’s warning comes as Congress continues to uncover a parallel propaganda apparatus inside U.S. health agencies.

A damning House Energy and Commerce Committee report released in October 2024 found that the Biden Administration spent $900 million in taxpayer funds on a COVID-19 propaganda campaign that intentionally misled the public.

“The Biden-Harris administration caused Americans to lose trust in the public health system,” said Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), accusing the CDC and NIH of using ads containing “erroneous or unproven information.”

The report revealed that:

• The CDC exaggerated the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines beyond FDA authorization.

• Messaging about mask effectiveness and COVID risk to children was “deeply flawed.”

• Federal funds went to Big Tech companies to “track and monitor Americans,” prompting calls for stronger data privacy protections.

Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA) slammed the administration’s “Stop the Spread” campaign as scientifically baseless, saying it “misled the American public” and triggered a broader collapse in trust across all vaccine programs.

“American trust in the CDC is at an all-time low,” said Subcommittee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY).

Fear as a Weapon: Scientists Admit Psychological Manipulation

Further validating Gabbard’s claims, behavioral scientists who advised governments during the COVID crisis have since admitted to weaponizing fear to coerce compliance—describing their actions as “unethical,” “dystopian,” and “totalitarian.”

Members of the UK’s ‘Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Behaviour’ (SPI-B), who advised the government’s COVID response, revealed that officials deliberately ramped up fear to push lockdowns the public might otherwise reject.

“Clearly, using fear as a means of control is not ethical. Using fear smacks of totalitarianism. It’s not an ethical stance for any modern government,” said SPI-B psychologist Gavin Morgan.

“[P]sychologists didn’t seem to notice when it stopped being altruistic and became manipulative. They have too much power and it intoxicates them,” another member confessed.

One warned that “people use the pandemic to grab power and drive through things that wouldn’t happen otherwise… We have to be very careful about the authoritarianism that is creeping in.”

Gabbard: ‘This Is Why Trump’s Mandate Is Critical’

Gabbard said her fight is not just about cleaning up rogue intelligence operators—it’s about reversing the normalization of psychological warfare on the American public.

“To be able to turn the light on in places that have been dark for far too long, expose the truth, and drive accountability—that’s the only way we can actually shift this,” she said.

She affirmed that Trump is fully aware of the deep-state sabotage being conducted through the media.

“President Trump is enacting the very thing he promised the American people he would do in this election.”

You can watch the segment posted on Benny Johnson’s Twitter/X account (@bennyjohnson) below:

SCARY: Tulsi Gabbard CONFIRMS That ‘Operation Mockingbird’ is STILL Ongoing inside the CIA and she is actively trying to Shut it Down.

Tulsi says Deep State intel agents are still actively colluding with left-wing media outlets to attack President Trump from within:

“There are… pic.twitter.com/CZWMERFsa3

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 31, 2025

From Psy-Ops to Policy: The Full-Spectrum Control Grid

The Church Committee once warned that Mockingbird undermined the very idea of a free press.

The playbook didn’t end, it just upgraded.

Today’s propaganda apparatus now includes:

• Leaked narratives from intel to legacy media

• AI-powered censorship tools on social platforms

• CDC-funded influencer campaigns targeting youth

• Federal surveillance partnerships with tech giants

• Coerced public health compliance through fear psychology

The same government that once planted editorials in The Washington Post now quietly curates your news feed, flags dissent as misinformation, and suppresses debate under the guise of “public health.”

Bottom Line

Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation is historic: the top U.S. intelligence official has publicly stated that agencies under her own leadership are using media to manipulate Americans.

Operation Mockingbird didn’t end.

It simply changed targets.

The American people are no longer just the audience of government propaganda.

They’re the enemy.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 23:20

'No One Is Above The Law': Jack Smith Under Investigation Over Hatch Act Violations

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has launched an investigation into Jack Smith, a DOJ lawyer who led two criminal investigations into President Donald Trump during the Biden administration - one, into Trump's handling of classified documents, and the other, which sought to prove that Trump's actions on Jan. 6, 2021 were an attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Both cases were ultimately tossed. 

According to an email reviewed by the NY Post, Smith is being investigated by the Hatch Act Unit, which enforces a law that restricts government employees from engaging in political activities. The email was written by Senior Counsel Charles Baldis at OSC. 

"I appreciate the Office of Special Counsel taking this seriously and launching an investigation into Jack Smith’s conduct. No one is above the law," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) said in a statement to The Post. "Jack Smith’s actions were clearly driven to hurt President Trump’s election, and Smith should be held fully accountable."

OSC launched the investigation following a letter from Cotton which accused Smith of taking blatantly political actions to undermine President Trump during his 2024 White House run. 

Smith notably resigned from his post as Special Counsel in January, after President Trump's inauguration. 

Smith’s actions as prosecutor have been widely criticized by Republicans who saw the prosecutions as an effort to weaponize the justice system against Trump and hobble his election chances in 2024.

In his letter to OSC, Cotton explains how Smith’s actions undermined Trump’s political efforts.

“Jack Smith’s legal actions were nothing more than a tool for the Biden and Harris campaigns. This isn’t just unethical, it is very likely illegal campaign activity from a public office,” Cotton said. 

“Many of Smith’s legal actions seem to have no rationale except for an attempt to affect the 2024 election results – actions that would violate federal law.”

"These actions were not standard, necessary, or justified," Cotton wrote. "They were the actions of a political actor masquerading as a public official."

Smith, meanwhile, has been mum on the allegations - though he has maintained that during his time as Special Counsel he followed legal protocols and was untainted by political influence (lol). 

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 22:45

Indians & Nepalese Are The World's Most Voracious Mobile Data Users

With smartphones now central tools in our daily lives, mobile data usage has surged globally - especially in rural and developing countries where mobile networks often serve as the primary way to access the internet.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Kayla Zhu, visualizes mobile data traffic per smartphone in 2024 in GBs per month.

Data comes from Ericsson’s June 2025 Mobility Report. India, Nepal, and Bhutan are not part of South East Asia and Oceania data.

Which Countries Have the Highest Mobile Data Usage Rates?

Below, we show mobile data traffic per smartphone in 2024 in GBs per month, by region.

The region of India, Nepal, and Bhutan leads globally, with the highest data traffic per smartphone at 32 GB per monthly, nearly 50% more than North America or Western Europe.

India in particular has some of the lowest mobile data costs globally, thanks to intense competition among telecom providers like Reliance Jio and Airtel.

Additionally, in many rural areas, smartphones are the primary, if not only, way people access the internet. In Nepal, 96% of residents access the internet through mobile devices, while only about 15% of households have devices such as computers or laptops.

Advanced regions like North America, Western Europe, and North East Asia see similar monthly usage levels, around 20 to 22 GB per phone.

Sub-Saharan Africa lags behind, with the lowest data traffic at just 5 GB per month, highlighting a significant digital usage gap compared to other regions. The region faces higher internet and data costs relative to income, making internet access less affordable for many.

To learn more about mobile data usage trends, check out this graphic that visualizes the countries with the highest monthly mobile data usage per capita.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 21:35

Think Uncle Sam Owes $37 Trillion? It's Far Worse Than That

Via Brian McGlinchey at Stark Realities

When asked how far the US government has plunged into the red, many fiscally-conscious Americans will tell you the national debt has reached $37 trillion. As distressing as that official number is, America’s true fiscal situation is even worse — far worse. According to a barely-publicized Treasury report, the actual grand total of Uncle Sam’s obligations is more than $151 trillion.

That huge discrepancy springs from the fact that the federal government doesn’t hold itself to the same accounting standards it imposes on businesses. Rather than using accrual accounting — which recognizes expenses when they’re incurred — our Washington overlords self-servingly use simple cash accounting, only recognizing expenses when they’re paid. As a result, discourse on federal obligations solely focuses on the national debt, comprising Treasury bills, notes and bonds.

Once a year, however, an obscure report delivers a more accurate version of Uncle Sam’s balance sheet. While it receives almost no attention from journalists or public officials, the Treasury Department is required to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the government’s financial condition. Critically, the 1994 law compelling this report mandates that it reflect “unfunded liabilities” — that is, commitments made without any dedicated assets or income streams to ensure they’ll be kept.

Rep. Thomas Massie, who has two MIT degrees, designed and programmed a lapel pin that displays the mounting national debt in real time. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images via Roll Call )

One of the larger categories of those unfunded liabilities is future federal employee and veterans benefits. At the end of the 2024 fiscal year, this alone represented a $15 trillion obligation. However, by leaps and bounds, the largest unfunded liabilities spring from America’s social insurance obligations — primarily Social Security and Medicare. At fiscal-year end, these liabilities totaled a towering $105.8 trillion.

Stacking these and other unfunded liabilities on top of the publicly-held national debt and other obligations, you arrive at a grand total of $151.3 trillion at the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Offsetting that by an estimated $7.9 trillion in US government commercial assets — including property, plant, equipment and purported gold holdings — a Just Facts analysis puts Uncle Sam at an overall net-negative $143 trillion.

Writing at the Heartland Institute, Just Facts president James Agresti put that nearly-incomprehensible total in perspective: “$143 trillion amounts to 85% of the net wealth Americans have accumulated since the nation’s founding, estimated by the Federal Reserve to be $169 trillion. This includes all of their assets in savings, real estate, corporate stocks, private businesses, and even consumer durable goods like automobiles and furniture.”

Those numbers reflected the government’s position on Sept 30, 2024. They’ve not only grown significantly worse in the intervening months, they’re deteriorating at a blistering pace even as you read this: Not even counting the unfunded liabilities that represent the biggest part of the problem, the national debt alone is increasing at something like $156 million per hour.

Wrangling over the budget isn’t going to save us. Congressional debates tend to center on discretionary spending — outlays that require a vote by Congress during the appropriations process. However, America’s steady march to insolvency is driven by so-called mandatory spending, which is hardwired by previously-enacted laws.

In what may be the most ominous indication that the government is on an autopilot-course for catastrophe, the proportion of total federal outlays driven by mandatory spending has more than doubled since 1965 — from 34% to 73% in 2024. It was at 71% just two years earlier, in 2022.

From Manhattan Institute’s Spending, Taxes & Deficits: A Book of Charts

The two largest examples of mandatory spending are Social Security and Medicare. Those old-age programs are now well within sight of a crisis that’s been warned about for a generation: According to the latest report from their program trustees, Social Security and Medicare trust funds are now just seven years from insolvency.

While the federal government requires private-sector pension plans to maintain assets equal to the present value of future obligations, the federal government exempts itself from providing the same security to the citizens that it forces into the Social Security program. Contrary to the mythology that payroll taxes are placed in individual “accounts” held for our future benefit, that money is immediately being dished out to other people who’ve already reached the benefit-receiving phase — which is why Social Security can be reasonably compared to a Ponzi scheme.

Because the ratio of taxpaying-workers to beneficiaries is in steady decline — from 5.1 in 1960 to 2.7 in 2023 — Social Security payouts have exceeded revenues for the last 15 years. As a result, the Social Security and Medicare trust funds are set to run out in 2033. Under the law governing Social Security, payouts that year will be limited to program incomes — which will translate to a sudden 23% cut in payouts.

While that represents a political time bomb, don’t expect any urgency in defusing it. The eight-year countdown is short, but it’s still outside the next-election framing that drives elected officials’ actions. Those politicians know that anyone proposing a long-overdue rethinking of Social Security and Medicare will be opportunistically accused of “attacking” the programs. However, when the crisis is finally in their laps, don’t be surprised if part of their solution is to borrow money to prop up the payouts.

There’s another key component of mandatory spending that isn’t counted in the national debt: interest payments on debt issued to cover past and current spending. “In total, social programs and interest on the national debt—which mainly stems from social programs—account for 75% of all federal spending,” notes Agresti.

Interest payments also represent a steadily growing share of total outlays, and will total almost $1 trillion this year. Within 10 years, interest is projected to reach $2 trillion, roughly equal to the entire 2025 deficit. Last year saw a grim milestone, as interest expense surpassed spending on both defense and Medicare.

From Manhattan Institute’s Spending, Taxes & Deficits: A Book of Charts

Current projections have interest surpassing Social Security to become the largest single expenditure by 2042, but don’t be surprised if that milestone doesn’t come sooner. The government is already descending into a vicious cycle in which mounting US debt has the buyers of that debt demanding higher interest rates in compensation for the growing risk of inflation and/or default — with those higher rates creating larger interest payouts and even more debt.

Beyond mandatory-vs-discretionary, and funded-vs-unfunded, there’s an even more important but far-less-discussed classification of spending that goes to the very heart of America’s march toward financial disaster: constitutional vs unconstitutional. As I noted in the most-read article at Stark Realities, “Americans Are Fighting For Control Of Federal Powers That Shouldn’t Exist”:

Today’s sprawling federal government, which involves itself in almost every aspect of daily American life, is almost entirely unconstitutional.

To rattle off just a random fistful of the federal government’s unauthorized undertakings and entities — brace yourself — there is zero constitutional authority for the Social Security, Medicare, federal drug prohibitions, the Small Business Administration, crop subsidies, the Department of Labor, automotive fuel efficiency standards, climate regulations, the Federal Reserve, union regulation, housing subsidies, the Department of Agriculture, workplace regulations, the Department of Education, federal student loans, the Food and Drug Administration, food stamps, unemployment insurance or light bulb regulations. Even that sampling doesn’t begin to fully account for the scope of the unsanctioned activity.

This Pandora’s box of unconstitutional endeavors was opened wide by unconscionably expansive Supreme Court interpretations of the Constitution in the 1930s. It’s no coincidence that federal spending represented a mere 3% of GDP in 1930 but soared to an economy-warping 23% by 2024.

Now we find the federal government in a $143 trillion hole, a burden that comes out to $1,085,022 per US household. History suggests this will end with a government default. In the United States, that will likely occur not via an explicit repudiation of the debt, but through rampant price inflation as the Treasury and the Federal Reserve conspire to create new money out of thin air to make debt payments.

From Manhattan Institute’s Spending, Taxes & Deficits: A Book of Charts

“They can’t pay the debt, so they have to liquidate the debt,” said Ron Paul in a June conversation with David Lin. “They [won’t] default — they’re always going to pay something for the Treasury bills. What they’re going to do is liquidate the debt by paying it off with counterfeit money.”

While the Fed-Treasury money creation scheme has been with us for a long time, the alarming trajectory of federal debt and spending point to future money-printing on a scale that will trigger hyperinflation and economic collapse. At that point, Americans will stand at a crossroads. Desperation and fear will make them susceptible to the siren song of even more authoritarianism and unconstitutional, centralized command of the economy and society than what put them in such dire straits to begin with.

“People will want to be taken care of,” Paul said. “I see it as an opportunity. If people are promoting the cause of liberty and there’s chaos in the streets, we better get out there and lead the charge and say you don’t need more of what caused this. You don’t need more authoritarianism. What you need is more liberty and more peace, and that means you ought to obey the Constitution.”

STARK REALITIES: Invigoratingly Unorthodox Perspectives For Intellectually Honest Readers 

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Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 21:00

Lula Threatens Response After Trump Slaps 'Witch-Hunting' Brazil With Highest Tariff-Rate Globally

On Friday President Trump imposed an unprecedented whopping 50% tariff on products imported into the US from Brazil, including nearly one-third of the coffee Americans consume daily.

This is despite the US having maintained a trade surplus with Brazil amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars over the past decade, and it's all tied to the political firestorm of ex-leader Jair Bolsonaro's trial, and Trump's efforts to defend his friend known as the 'Brazilian Donald Trump'.

The 50% tariff on select Brazilian imports is the highest rate currently applied to any nation globally, and with tiny Switzerland coming in second, having been shocked by its 39% tariff rate, which are the highest tariffs in Europe.

Image: Agência O Globo

On Switzerland, the BBC writes, "It's the one story dominating the news and the airwaves on Friday. One newspaper, Blick, described it as the country's biggest defeat since French victory in the battle of Marignano in 1515."

But on the Brazil front, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has slammed the Trump tariffs as blatant political interference and says the government is preparing a response. 

"We have always been open for a dialogue," President Lula wrote on X. "We are working now to respond to the US tariff measures," Lula da Silva said.

"Only citizens and institutions of Brazil have the right to determine the country’s path, including the relations with the United States," he added.

The US has included some exemptions:

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday slapped a 50% tariff on most Brazilian goods to fight what he has called a "witch hunt" against former President Jair Bolsonaro, but softened the blow by excluding sectors such as aircraft, energy and orange juice from heavier levies.

Trump announced the tariffs, some of the steepest levied on any economy in the U.S. trade war, as his administration also unveiled sanctions on the Brazilian supreme court justice who has been overseeing Bolsonaro's trial on charges of plotting a coup.

Lula previously vowed to introduce tit-for-tat tariffs if Washington does not reconsider, while also expressing hope that his Brazilian delegation will be able to achieve the revision of tariffs through negotiations.

The US has sought to present this as more than just political and more than merely motivated by protection of Trump-ally Bolsonaro, however.

Graph source: @JosephPolitano

For example Wednesday's US Treasury statement announcing sanctions on those who are going after Bolsonaro also cited Brazil’s "unusual and extraordinary" actions as harmful to American businesses, free speech, and economic interests.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of the former president, has defended Trump's actions, saying it's not about revenge, but justice. Meanwhile Trump has said that President Lula can call him anytime.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 20:25

Number of Measles Cases In Canada Almost Triple That Of US

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The number of measles cases in Canada this year is nearly triple that of the United States, according to a July 28 weekly monitoring report from the Canadian government.

A sign outside of Seminole Hospital District offering measles testing, in Seminole, Texas, on Feb. 21, 2025. Julio Cortez/AP Photo

As of July 19, confirmed measles cases reported in Canada had reached 3,878, according to the report. This is 2.9 times the 1,333 confirmed cases reported in the United States as of July 29, according to a July 30 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Canada, measles infections, both confirmed and probable, have been reported from 10 jurisdictions—Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.

Ontario has the highest number of cases, with 2,301 confirmed and probable infections. Alberta has had 1,450 cases, Manitoba 167, and British Columbia 140.

The current measles outbreak in Canada began in New Brunswick in October last year and has since continued to spread across several provinces, the government report said.

“Measles has been eliminated in Canada since 1998, and therefore endemic transmission no longer takes place in the country. However, cases continue to occur sporadically, usually due to importation from regions where measles is circulating,” it said.

According to World Health Organization data published in July, Canada ranked ninth in the list of nations that reported measles cases over the previous six months.

Ahead of Canada were Yemen, Pakistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Romania, and Nigeria.

Some of these nations—Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and Nigeria—ranked among the top 10 new immigrant nationalities that arrived in Canada last year, according to data from Statista.

The 3,878 confirmed measles infections in Canada are a very high number compared to past years.

“From 1998 to 2024, there were an average of 91 measles cases reported in Canada annually, with between 0 and 752 cases reported each year,” according to the report.

As for the United States, the 1,333 confirmed measles cases, of which 13 percent involved hospitalization, were reported across 40 states, according to the CDC update.

Americans aged 5–19 years account for the highest share of infections, closely followed by those aged 20 and above, and children under the age of 5. Out of the total, 92 percent are among people who are either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, the agency said.

In total, there have been three confirmed deaths from measles in the United States this year.

Spokespersons from the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently said in emails to The Epoch Times that the risk of measles infection for the overall U.S. population is low.

Infection rates among Americans are less than 0.4 per 100,000 individuals, which is less than in other developed nations such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Spain, and France.

“Measles risk is higher in U.S. communities with low vaccination rates in areas with active measles outbreaks or with close social and/or geographic linkages to areas with active measles outbreaks. CDC continues to recommend MMR vaccines as the best way to protect against measles,” they said, referring to the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

However, they clarified that “the decision to vaccinate is a personal one. People should consult with their healthcare provider to understand their options to get inoculated and should be informed about the potential risks and benefits associated with vaccines.”

This year’s measles case numbers in the United States are a 33-year high.

Vaccination Impact

According to a Jan. 17 post by the CDC, two doses of MMR are recommended by doctors to protect against measles.

But the agency highlights that while MMR usually protects people against measles and rubella for life, immunity against mumps could decline over time.

“Some vaccinated people may still get measles, mumps, or rubella if they are exposed to the viruses. It could be that their immune system didn’t respond as well as they should have to the vaccine; their immune system’s ability to fight the infection decreased over time; or they have prolonged, close contact with someone who has a virus,” the CDC said.

“However, disease symptoms are generally milder in vaccinated people. They are also less likely to spread the disease to other people.”

MMR vaccines may result in mild side effects such as soreness or swelling at the site where the vaccine was given, fever, temporary pain and stiffness in the joints, and mild rashes. While more serious side effects are rare, such adverse effects can include a high fever that can lead to seizures, the agency said.

In April, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said people should consider getting a measles vaccine as it could limit the spread of the disease.

On July 14, Kennedy said he does not plan on declaring a public health emergency for measles and that the United States was dealing well with the infection.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 19:50

Oil-Bull Andurand Got Too Greedy On Chocolate, Trims Cocoa Bets Amid "Extreme" Volatility 

Oil trader Pierre Andurand ventured into the cocoa trade in March 2024, initiating a long position with an upside target of $20,000 per ton. He was banking on worsening adverse weather and disease across West Africa to crimp global supplies, but prices only breached $12,000 for a short time, and as of August, cocoa prices have slumped around $8,000, forcing Andurand to scale back his bullish bet. 

Bloomberg cites a new letter from Andurand to investors, detailing how a series of mistimed trades led to significant losses, with his fund down 57% by the end of June.

"Recent performance has been very disappointing," Andurand wrote, adding, "Pierre Andurand has further reduced long cocoa exposure in all Andurand funds."

Andurand began trading cocoa futures around March 2024, after spending nearly a decade primarily focused on trading crude oil and related products.

• April 2024: 'Cocoa Could Double From Here' - Oil-Bull Andurand Gets Greedy On Chocolate

• May 2024: Cocoa Bull Pierre Andurand Warns Of 'Price Explosion' If Stock-To-Grinding Ratio Collapses

By April 2024, Andurand told Bloomberg in an emailed statement: "We believe we could break $20,000 later this year ... and the year will finish with the lowest stocks-to-grinding ratio ever, and potentially run out of inventories late in the year." 

Yet while global grindings did sink lower, supplies remained stable as the worst-case scenario did not play out for the famed oil trader. 

Here's more from Bloomberg:

Initially, the analyst's assessment of the market proved to be correct. By the end of February 2024, cocoa futures were already up some 50% for the year. Andurand's firm initiated a small position in cocoa the following month, according to a letter sent to investors. By the end of 2024, bets on cocoa helped drive a 50% gain in his flagship Andurand Commodities Discretionary Enhanced Fund.

Those profits were short-lived. The fund dropped some 17% in January 2025 and nearly 25% in February, with losses driven by falling cocoa prices due to worries about demand, according to information sent to investors. The less volatile Andurand Commodities Fund is also down 26% through June.

In April, Andurand increased the fund's bullish cocoa position in expectation that figures on bean processing set to be published later that month would drive up prices. The prediction proved to be correct, but the trading strategy nevertheless foundered amid the chaos caused by Trump's so-called Liberation Day tariff announcement on April 2.

"In hindsight, if we had maintained the same positions throughout the month and not traded following Trump's various announcements, the funds could have generated positive performance," Andurand told investors. "At the time, it was extremely difficult not to react to Trump's tariff announcement."

Cocoa markets are thin and illiquid, unlike oil, something Andurand has likely learned the hard way, as large positions are difficult to manage.

Andurand has not totally cut his bullish exposure to cocoa. He explained in the letter: "Our top conviction today is that we will see higher cocoa prices. The majority of our risk remains in cocoa given our fundamentally bullish view."

Ole Gjolberg, a professor at the School of Economics and Business at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, told Bloomberg, "Cocoa is not like the markets that Andurand has been in before, like oil and gas and metals. So that's also part of the risk picture. If you're going in big you can be stuck with your positions."

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 19:15

Zelensky Signs Law Allowing Ukrainians Over 60 To Join The Military

Via The Libertarian Institute

Ukrainians aged 60 and older can now serve in non-combat roles thanks to new legislation. The elderly Ukrainians will need special approval and get medical clearance before enlisting.

The law was passed by the Ukrainian legislature earlier this month and signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, allowing people over the age of 60 to serve in limited roles until martial law in Ukraine is lifted.

Wiki Commons

While the current martial law authorization is set to lapse next month, Zelensky has requested that lawmakers extend it for an additional 90 days. Zelensky’s presidential term has already expired, and he has used martial law to remain in office.

Zelensky signed the law increasing the age limit as Ukraine continues to struggle with manpower in the war with Russia. Last year, Ukraine lowered its draft age from 27 to 25, but has resisted calls from the US to drop it to 18.

Regional media explains:

According to the Verkhovna Rada website, the law was returned with the president’s signature on Tuesday, July 29. Parliament had passed the legislation on Wednesday, July 16.

The law applies exclusively to volunteers – there is no provision for compulsory service in this age group.

Under the updated Law “On Military Duty and Military Service,” citizens aged 60+ can now enlist under contract during martial law, provided they are deemed medically fit by a military commission and have written consent from a unit commander.

Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod explained earlier this month that her country was facing a severe manpower shortage, saying, "Our main problem is people. Nobody is giving us people."

The MP said that even if President Donald Trump sent more weapons to Ukraine, the "war cannot last forever." Over the past years, older men have been spotted among military ranks, leading to questions over just how desperate Ukrainie's military recruiters have become.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 18:40

L3Harris Teams Up With Joby To Develop Next-Gen Military Vertical Lift Aircraft

L3Harris Technologies has emerged as a standout in our "hemispheric defense" theme in recent months - and Wall Street has taken notice.

Goldman analysts rate the stock a "Buy." Now, the defense contractor is moving deeper into next-gen warfare, announcing a strategic partnership with air taxi startup Joby Aviation to co-develop the "next generation of vertical lift technology" for military applications. 

L3Harris and Joby are developing a jet-powered turbine hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for low-altitude missions that can be optionally piloted or flown fully autonomously.

The new VTOL military aircraft is expected to begin operational demonstrations during U.S. military exercises in 2026. The program reflects a broader push by the Department of Defense to accelerate vertical lift aircraft development and deployment after regulatory delays, including challenges related to Federal Aviation Administration oversight during the Biden-Harris regime years. 

"The next generation of vertical lift technology enables long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for a range of missions," said Jon Rambeau, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. "We share a vision with Joby to deliver urgently-required innovation by missionizing VTOL aircraft for defense applications."

Joby CEO JoeBen Bevirt stated, "We have worked closely with the Department of Defense over the past decade to give them a front row seat to the development of our dual-purpose technology, and we're now ready to demonstrate and deploy it. Our country depends on companies like ours moving at pace, and we have the team, the technology and the platform to do just that."

Since early March, we first pointed out the emergence of the Hemispheric Defense investment theme. This thesis centers on the DoD's evolving strategy to shore up U.S. military dominance heading into the dangerous 2030s of world fracturing deeper into a bi-polar state, with a renewed focus on securing the Western Hemisphere with regional force projection: 

• Making Sense Of Hemispheric Defense In Trump Era

• Golden Dome Unleashes U.S. Hemispheric Defense Theme - And Goldman Finds One Firm Stands Out

• Goldman Flags Must-Own Defense Stocks Amid Pentagon's Shifting Priorities

• Goldman Cranks Up Bullish Tone On Hemispheric Defense Theme

• Hemispheric Defense In Focus: Q2 Earnings Preview For Aerospace & Defense Stocks

• Hemispheric Defense Theme Accelerates As Hegseth Calls For Drone Dominance

L3Harris.... 

. . .

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 18:05

"Not As Safe As We Think": Lidocaine Deaths Nearly Triple Over Past Decade

Authored by George Citroner via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Poisonings and deaths linked to the common local anesthetic lidocaine have nearly tripled in the United States over the past decade, with fatal overdoses increasingly occurring outside hospitals, where untrained staff administer the supposedly “safe” anesthetic, a new analysis shows.

Alla Simacheva/Shutterstock

Over-the-counter topical lidocaine products, which typically contain up to 4 percent to 5 percent lidocaine, are primarily used for temporary relief of pain, itching, and burning sensations. The pain reliever is available in various forms, including creams, ointments, gels, sprays, patches, and foaming soaps. However, in medical settings, it can pose risks that many people may not be aware of.

“Lidocaine is not as safe as we think,” Dr. Michael Fettiplace, study author and assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine, told The Epoch Times.

Increase Seen from 2011 to 2022

A recent study, published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, reveals a trend hidden within America’s medical system. While overall poisonings from local anesthetics dropped 23 percent after 2010—when medical organizations issued new safety guidelines—lidocaine cases bucked the trend.

Among the risks associated with the drug, lidocaine can cause systemic toxicity when introduced into the bloodstream at high levels. This condition, known as local anesthetic systemic toxicity, primarily affects the central nervous system and cardiovascular system, potentially leading to seizures, arrhythmias, and even cardiac arrest.

Fettiplace’s team had documented increasing toxicity cases in medical literature, but underestimated how often those cases proved fatal. “We identified a rise in mortality events associated with lidocaine, which was unexpected,” he said. “In retrospect, it is not surprising.”

The study analyzed more than 200,000 poisoning cases reported to U.S. poison control centers between 1983 and 2022, including 74 deaths from local anesthetics.

While deaths from other anesthetics declined, the proportion of fatalities linked to lidocaine rose from 67 percent in 2010 to 82 percent in recent years. Overall, 0.1 percent of lidocaine poisoning cases resulted in death, compared with 0.01 percent for other local anesthetics.

In absolute numbers, reports of lidocaine poisoning jumped more than 50 percent, from 1,600 cases in 2016 to 2,500 in 2021.

Many of the deaths occurred after the patient overdosed on lidocaine themselves or received an overdose in outpatient settings.

One case described a 70-year-old man going into cardiac arrest and dying after being administered a 2 percent lidocaine solution. He had undergone an outpatient cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and instead of having the MRI dye flushed with normal saline, he was given lidocaine instead.

While poisonings occurred across all age and gender demographics, cases occurred most frequently at home, Fettiplace noted.

The study described one case in which a man inhaled imported lidocaine powder from China to treat his gastroesophageal reflux disease and became unconscious.

“Undoubtedly, there is underreporting,” Fettiplace said. “I cannot predict an upper limit of the increase.”

He noted that adverse events involving lidocaine are often attributed to other causes, even when lidocaine contributed to the death—a pattern also seen when lidocaine was used as an antiarrhythmic agent in the 1970s and 1980s.

Fettiplace added that, given how frequently lidocaine is used both as an inpatient pain medication and in outpatient settings—as creams and patches—it’s possible there are a “profound number” of adverse events going unreported.

Why Lidocaine Became More Dangerous

Lidocaine is a widely used and versatile drug. It has had a consistent safety profile and has long been considered a gold standard local anesthetic. Fettiplace noted that while health care practitioners have a “healthy fear” of other potent local anesthetics like bupivacaine—which is longer-lasting and has a higher potential for toxicity, most consider lidocaine safe.

As an anesthetic, it can be used both topically, injected in the mouth for dental procedures, used to alleviate sore throats, and used for nerve blocks like epidurals.

Its ubiquity has led to an underappreciation of its potency.

In medical settings, lidocaine has been distributed for multiple or prolonged uses, such as 2,000 milligrams in a bottle or IV bag, though 300 milligrams is typically the recommended upper limit for a single adult dose, Fettiplace said.

Drivers of Deaths

The study showed that several deaths occurred after the patient was prescribed or purchased lidocaine and accidentally overdosed.

Fettiplace said that over-the-counter formulations containing 20 grams or more of lidocaine are readily available to the public—and, in some cases, have been used for self-harm.

Dr. Evan Peskin, a dual board-certified anesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician who was not involved in the study, told The Epoch Times that one “major issue” is the growing number of outpatient surgeries, where procedures are done outside hospitals—in clinics or office settings.

“Many of these procedures are being performed by providers who may not have formal anesthesia training,” he warned.

Peskin noted that in some cases, large amounts of lidocaine are used—such as in cosmetic procedures like liposuction—and the administering providers may not fully understand how the drug is absorbed over time or that the toxicity may not present immediately.

Treatment for Lidocaine Poisoning

When lidocaine poisoning occurs, quick action can mean the difference between life and death.

Lipid emulsion therapy—also called lipid resuscitation or intravenous lipid emulsion therapy—is a treatment that involves administering a fat emulsion intravenously to counteract the toxic effects of certain overdoses and poisonings.

When it comes to treating lidocaine poisoning, Peskin said how quickly lipid emulsion therapy is given can make a “big difference” in the outcome. “The problem is that in many outpatient settings, the people giving the lidocaine may not recognize the signs of toxicity, or they may not have lipid emulsion available,” he added.

Peskin emphasized that delays in treatment can lead to worse outcomes, including death. “That’s why it’s essential for all locations where lidocaine is used, especially outside the hospital, to have the correct supplies and trained staff who can respond quickly if an issue arises.”

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 17:30

FDA Mandates Major Labeling Changes On Opioid Pain Medication

The Food and Drug Administration is requiring pharma companies selling opioid pain medications to “better emphasize and explain the risks associated with their long-term use” on medication labels, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said in a July 31 statement.

“These changes follow a public advisory committee meeting in May that reviewed data showing serious risks—such as misuse, addiction, and both fatal and non-fatal overdoses—for patients who use opioids over long periods,” the department said.

Drug labels must now show clearer risk information, describing a summary of study results showing estimated risks of addiction, overdose, and misuse of the medication over the long term.

The labels must have stronger dosage warnings that higher doses come with greater risks to users and that such risks remain over time.

Pharma companies are required to remove any language on the labels that could be misinterpreted as being supportive of long-term opioid use.

For users physically dependent on opioids, the labels must emphasize not to abruptly stop their usage, warning that such a move can cause serious harm

“Labels will reinforce that long-acting or extended-release opioids should only be considered when other treatments, including shorter-acting opioids, are inadequate,” HHS said.

The companies must also warn about drug interactions, effects on digestive health, and new risks associated with overdosing, such as toxic leukoencephalopathy—a serious brain condition that could occur following an overdose.

“I know firsthand how devastating addiction is—not just for individuals, but for entire families and communities,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr said.

“Today’s FDA action is a long-overdue step toward restoring honesty, accountability, and transparency to a system that betrayed the American people.”

As Naveen Athrappully reports for The Epoch Times, HHS gave the example of OxyContin, an opioid whose initial drug application was approved without proper data supporting the medication’s long-term use among people to treat pain, it said.

OxyContin is a brand name for oxycodone, an opioid used to manage moderate to severe pain, according to data from the DrugBank, an online medication database. It is also sold under brand names Endocet, Targin, Roxybond, Roxicodone, Xolox, and Nalocet.

According to HHS, two large FDA observational studies recently provided new data on the serious side effects that can result from long-term opioid use. This information will be reflected in the updated labeling for OxyContin and other opioids.

One of the studies was discussed during the FDA’s May public advisory committee meeting, according to a May 5 briefing document.

The study looked at 1,212 patients who suffered from arthritis, neck pain, back pain, and neuropathy. Participants were taking extended-release/long-acting opioids or immediate-release/short-acting opioids. Oxycodone was one of the most commonly used opioids.

According to the study, “the overall prevalence of past-three-month opioid misuse was 14.6 percent, past-three-month opioid abuse was 6.0 percent,” said the document.

In addition, 2.7 percent of the study population were found to have past-year moderate-to-severe pain-adjusted opioid use disorder, it said.

After reviewing results from the two FDA observational studies as well as “public comments, medical research, and recognizing the absence of adequate and well-controlled studies on long-term opioid effectiveness, the FDA decided to require safety labeling changes,” HHS said.

Tackling the Opioid Crisis

According to HHS, the FDA has sent letters to pharma companies outlining the new label changes. The companies must submit their labeling updates for review by the FDA within 30 days.

“The death of almost one million Americans during the opioid epidemic has been one of the cardinal failures of the public health establishment,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said.

“This long-overdue labeling change is only part of what needs to be done—we also need to modernize our approval processes and post-market monitoring so that nothing like this ever happens again.”

In a June 9 post, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said roughly 806,000 people died from an opioid overdose between 1999 and 2023, including from illegal opioids.

Since 2013, there has been a “substantial” increase in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, specifically illegally made fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, it said.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 16:55

Big-Name Politicians Are Running For Governor In 2026 - Here's The List

Authored by Arjun Singh via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The United States will have many elections held on Nov. 3, 2026—for all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, one-third of seats in the U.S. Senate, and elections to dozens of state legislatures and local offices. Some of the biggest races will be for various states’ governor’s offices, which have attracted the candidacies of famous politicians in politically significant states.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz (L) and Gov. Tony Evers (D-Wis.) (R) listen to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) (C) speak at a rally in the KI Convention Center to kick off their “Driving Forward” Blue Wall Bus Tour in Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 14, 2024. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

In every state of the union, the governor is the chief executive and vested with executive authority, although his or her exact powers vary and depend upon state constitutions. Usually, the governor directs state agencies, vetoes bills, and is the state’s leading political figure. Historically, many governors have used their public esteem to get elected to other high offices, such as the U.S. Senate or the presidency.

In 2026, 39 governor’s offices—36 in states and three in territories—will be up for statutory elections, with some incumbent officeholders being term-limited from running again. Given the prestige of serving as governor, several high-ranking political figures have announced their candidacies for these posts.

Here are the biggest gubernatorial races to watch in 2026.

Arizona

In the Grand Canyon State, Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-Ariz.) is running for re-election and is likely to win the Democratic primary. Two potential rivals, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes—both Democrats—are running for re-election to their current offices.

However, the state is not heavily Democratic and, in the most recent statewide elections for the presidency and U.S. Senate in 2024, it voted for the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, and Democratic nominee Ruben Gallego, respectively. Most political observers consider the race a “toss-up.”

In the Republican primary, the two declared candidates are Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson, who ran for governor in 2022 but lost the Republican primary contest to Kari Lake. Biggs is a former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, a right-wing faction of the House Republican Conference that regularly attracts notoriety. He also previously served as president of the Arizona Senate.

In Republican nomination contests, the endorsement of Trump is often the decisive factor, as many GOP voters have been following his directions on how to vote. In this case, the president has endorsed both Biggs and Robson for the nomination.

Statewide elections in Arizona are always closely watched, as the state is competitive during presidential elections and the results may indicate how voters there will vote for the next president. The primary will be held on Aug. 4, 2026.

California

The Golden State has the largest economy and population of any in the country, with nearly 40 million people. As a result, the governor of California is always a nationally recognized political figure. Because of the state’s heavy Democratic lean, the governor is often considered a potential candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. This is the case with incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, who is term-limited from running again.

Because the office is high-profile, many leading Democrats have joined the governor’s race, making it the most competitive across all 2026 gubernatorial elections. California uses a “jungle primary” system, in which all candidates of all parties run on the same ballot and the top two candidates (regardless of party) run in the general election.

The impressive roster of Democratic candidates includes Toni Atkins, former speaker of the California State Assembly and former president pro tempore of the California Senate—the first person in 150 years to have held both offices; Xavier Becerra, former U.S. secretary of health and human services and former attorney general of California; Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis; Tony Thurmond, state superintendent of public instruction; Antonio Villaraigosa, former mayor of Los Angeles and former assembly speaker; and former Rep. Katie Porter, who was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in California in 2024.

The race has been equally notable for the candidates who were considering running but either publicly declined or withdrew their candidacies. The most notable such person was former Vice President Kamala Harris, who previously served as a U.S. senator from California as well as the state’s attorney general, and whom many had predicted would be a clear frontrunner if she chose to run. Similarly, incumbent state Attorney General Rob Bonta, former Sen. Laphonza Butler, and California Treasurer Fiona Ma, all Democrats, also declined to run, with Ma suspending her gubernatorial candidacy.

The primary will be on June 2, 2026.

Florida

The Sunshine State has become the center of Republican politics following Trump’s emergence on the national political scene, being the site of his primary personal residence at Mar-a-Lago. Once a presidential battleground state, Florida is now considered safely Republican, with the governor of Florida attracting the same presidential speculation among Republicans that the governor of California receives among Democrats.

Florida’s incumbent Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who won a large re-election victory in 2022 and ran against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, is term-limited from seeking re-election. Trump has endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who is currently the frontrunner among declared candidates in both polling and endorsements. He has also been endorsed by DeSantis’s predecessor as governor, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

However, Donalds could face a primary challenge from Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis, who gained a big reputation among the state’s conservatives during her husband’s gubernatorial term. Casey DeSantis has not yet declared her candidacy, although she has publicly expressed interest. Many other prominent Republicans in Florida, such as former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, have declined to run.

On the Democratic side, the likeliest candidate is former Rep. David Jolly, who served in Congress from 2014 to 2017 as a Republican but switched parties in 2018 and has since become a critic of Trump. The primary will be on Aug. 25, 2026.

Georgia

The Peach State is another battleground state in presidential elections, and its statewide races attract a great deal of attention. Although the statewide race for senator, in which incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) is running for re-election, is attracting a great deal of attention, the race for governor of Georgia is equally significant. Incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, is term-limited.

For the Republican nomination, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and state Attorney General Chris Carr are running. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), one of the state’s most prominent and controversial politicians, has declined to run.

On the Democratic side, the former mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, is seeking her party’s nomination, as are two Georgia state legislators, state Sen. Jason Esteves and state Rep. Derrick Jackson. Stacey Abrams—former minority leader of the state House who was the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in 2018 and 2022, both times being defeated by Kemp—has also suggested that she may run again. The primary will be on May 26, 2026.

Michigan

The Wolverine State is yet another presidentially competitive state holding a gubernatorial election in 2026. As with all such states, Trump won it in 2024’s presidential election. Incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) is term-limited and cannot run again.

The Democratic nomination contest has many high-profile elected officials in the state running: Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. State Attorney General Dana Nessel has suggested that she may run, as has former Rep. Andrew Levin. Several high-profile Democrats have also declined to run, such as former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who previously was the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, but has since moved to Michigan.

Currently, polling shows that Benson leads the whole field by a wide margin, with the support of 65 percent of definite voters.

On the Republican side, the primary is a four-way contest between Rep. John James (R-Mich.), state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, former state Attorney General Mike Cox, and former state House Speaker Tom Leonard. Also running is William Null, a construction worker who was federally indicted for participating in a plot to kidnap Whitmer in 2020 but was later acquitted.

A potential candidate is Dick DeVos—former CEO of Amway, GOP nominee for governor in the 2006 election, and husband of former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos—who has not ruled out a bid. The primary will be on Aug. 4, 2026.

Wisconsin

In America’s Dairyland, also known as the Badger State, incumbent Gov. Tony Evers (D-Wis.) upset the race by announcing that he would not run for re-election to a third term. The state is presidentially competitive and, thus, its statewide races at all levels—most recently, for the U.S. Senate and for the state Supreme Court—have attracted nationwide attention.

So far, only Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez has announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination. Others who have expressed interest are former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and state Attorney General Josh Kaul.

On the Republican side, no major candidate has yet to emerge, although Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) appears prepared to announce his candidacy. The primary election will be held on Aug. 11, 2026.

Pennsylvania

Finally, in the Keystone State—considered the most important state for presidential elections—incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, is running for re-election in 2026.

Shapiro is the heavy favorite to win the race, and no other Democrat has entered the contest. Neither has any Republican candidate, with several of the state’s political leaders expressly declining to run. These include Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), who was endorsed by Trump to run for governor but opted to run for re-election to the House instead, as well as state Attorney General Dave Sunday. Likely, the leading candidate for the party’s nomination will be Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity.

The primary in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race will be held on May 19, 2026.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 16:20

Watch: JD Vance Offers Sage Advice To The Left On Sydney Sweeney 'Nazi' Ad Furor...

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Vice President JD Vance has weighed in on the left’s demented response to American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney ads and their unhinged claims that the “good jeans” pun is really Nazi eugenics propaganda.

“My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi,” Vance joked in an appearance on the “Ruthless” podcast Friday.

“That appears to be their actual strategy,” Vance further highlighted, adding “It actually reveals something pretty interesting about the Dems, though.”

"They have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing."

Vice President JD Vance rips the left’s overreaction to Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad on @RuthlessPodcast pic.twitter.com/K2A59xwfHa

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 1, 2025

“Which is that you have like a normal, all-American beautiful girl doing like a normal jeans ad, right?” The Vice President continued, “To try to sell, you know, sell jeans to kids in America, and they have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing.”

“You guys, did you learn nothing from the November 2024 election?” An exasperated Vance asked.

“Like, I actually thought that one of the lessons they might take is we’re going to be less crazy,” he continued. 

“The lesson they have apparently taken is we’re going to attack people as Nazis for thinking Sydney Sweeney is beautiful,” Vance urged.

“Great strategy, guys. That’s how you’re going to win the midterms. Especially young American men,” he further emphasised.

“Their course correction lasted about 30 seconds,” Ruthless co-host Josh Holmes chimed in.

“That’s right, [it] lasted 30 seconds, somehow has gotten even crazier,” Vance responded, adding   “it’s just so much of the Democrats is oriented around hostility to basic American life.”

“So you have a pretty girl doing a jeans ad, and they can’t help but freak out. It reveals a lot more about them than it does us,” Vance concluded.

The full episode of the podcast is here:

Sydney Sweeney wore jeans. The regime had a seizure

— LIBERTY GHOST (@libertyghost_x) August 1, 2025

They should invite her to the White House and give her an award.

— Bob Mittindaway (@bobby_fever) August 1, 2025

Who knew a white woman in jeans could cause such a stir.

— Chaz (@Patriot1422) August 1, 2025

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 15:10

Trump Issues Further Explanation On Moving 2 Nuclear Submarines 'Closer To Russia'

President Trump has in a newly published interview with Newsmax explained more about his decision to send a pair of nuclear submarines "closer to Russia" after the "fresh mouth" of former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev - who currently serves deputy chair of the country's Security Council - made reference to atomic apocalypse in written remarks about the Ukraine war and standoff with Washington.

Trump told "Finnerty" show host Rob Finnerty at the White House that his "eyes light up" when nuclear weapons are mentioned, particularly by a Russian official like Medvedev.

"Well, a former president of Russia who's now in charge of one of the most important councils, Medvedev, said some things that were very bad, talking about nuclear."

The United States military possesses about 71 nuclear-powered submarines. via Alamy

Trump continued, "And when you mention the word 'nuclear,' you know, my eyes light up and I say, 'We better be careful,' because it's the ultimate threat."

Medvedev had on Thursday posted on Telegram that Trump should recall "his favorite films about the 'walking dead'" and while referencing Soviet Union nuclear strike doctrine.

Trump explained in the new interview, "He shouldn't have said it. He's got a fresh mouth. He's said things in the past, too. And so we always want to be ready. And so I have sent to the region two nuclear submarines. I just want to make sure that his words are only words and nothing more than that."

When asked by the interviewer whether the submarines are in fact now closer to Russia, the US Commander-in-Chief responded:

"They're closer to Russia. Yeah, they're closer to Russia."

The question remains whether these submarines are merely nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed. Certainly the latter scenario would mark a huge and dangerous escalation, and yet the US has always exercised strategic ambiguity in this regard.

It has been longstanding US national security policy to not disclose if a particular sub is deployed with nuclear warheads on board or not. And the reality is that these submarines are in all kinds of locations, and probably pass Russia's shores not infrequently - but their locations are never really known. Trump had told reporters previously at the White House:

"Well, you just have to read what he said. He was talking about nuclear. When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared. And we’re totally prepared."

Still, the Trump online statement caught the world's - and certainly Moscow's - attention, driving world headlines all day Friday...

Trump in the Newsmax interview continued by giving his assessment of the current status of the war and negotiations:

"This is [former President Joe] Biden's war. This is not my war. This war would have never happened. It didn't happen for four years. It was never even talked about other than anything I had conversations with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," Trump said. "It was the apple of his eye, but he wasn't going to go into Ukraine. And I will say this, that's a war that should end. That's a terrible war."

On the new Aug. 8 deadline for peace, he reiterated that if a deal is not in place, "we'll put sanctions on, and he's pretty good with sanctions. He knows how to avoid sanctions."

"I talked to Putin a lot, and I think we had a great conversation. Then I go home and I see that a bomb was dropped in Kyiv and some of the various cities, killing people. I say, you know, I just had this great conversation with him, and it looked like we were going to — I thought we had it worked out three different times, and maybe he wants to try and take the whole thing. I think it's going to be very hard for him," he said. But clearly Trump is seeking to manage expectations, and seems to be admitting his planned punitive action is unlikely to have huge impact.

Further on Putin, the US President said, "He's obviously a tough cookie, so it hasn't changed in that way. But I'm surprised. We had numerous good conversations where we could have ended this thing, and all of a sudden bombs start flying."

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 14:35

At the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter this week:

Click on graph for larger image.

• Case-Shiller: National House Price Index Up 2.3% year-over-year in May

• Freddie Mac House Price Index Declined in June; Up 2.0% Year-over-year

• Inflation Adjusted House Prices 2.0% Below 2022 Peak

• Fannie and Freddie: Single Family Serious Delinquency Rates Decreased in June

This is usually published 4 to 6 times a week and provides more in-depth analysis of the housing market.

NY Woman Pleads Guilty In $30 Million Green Card, Political Access Scheme

Authored by Lily Zhou via The Epoch Times,

A New York resident accused of running a $30 million green card scam and selling access to U.S. politicians pleaded guilty July 30.

Sherry Xue Li, 53, a China-born, naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Oyster Bay, admitted to defrauding more than 150 people who invested more than $31.5 million in her fake development project, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn said.

The investors, many of whom were Chinese nationals, were promised either green cards through the EB-5 investment visa program or investment returns. None of the investors in Li’s project, the Thompson Education Center (TEC), received a temporary or permanent green card.

Li also made donations to U.S. politicians and political committees, using money from foreign victims while pretending the donations came from herself or other U.S. citizens, and she sold foreign nationals—mostly Chinese—access to events where they could take photos with elected officials, including President Donald Trump.

“In doing so, she attempted to corrupt a fundamental institution in this country—fair and transparent elections free from unlawful foreign influence,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said in a statement.

Li pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Central Islip to conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Li’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5, and she faces up to 20 years in prison, prosecutors said. She has also agreed to forfeit $31.5 million and property at three locations.

One of Li’s accomplices, Long Island resident Lianbo “Mike” Wang, 48, pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Wang, also a naturalized U.S. citizen, was the marketing director and general manager of TEC.

Another defendant, Guo Xuefeng, director of TEC’s Beijing office, was a citizen and resident of China, according to the indictment. Guo was accused of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Li first proposed in around 2011 to build a China City of America in the town of Thompson.

She touted the amusement park as a “Chinese Disneyland” that could create 3,000 jobs and attract 1.5 million visitors each year.

Following opposition from locals, the project was whittled down and rebranded as the TEC.

While the project was never approved, a billboard serving as a signpost to the nonexistent education center stayed up on State Route 17 for months, The Epoch Times previously reported.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Li and Wang spent only enough money on the TEC project to maintain the “fiction” that it was viable and “actually under construction.”

They spent funds fraudulently obtained from investors on “personal expenses including clothing, jewelry, housing, vacation travel, upscale dining, and political contributions to prominent politicians,” the statement said.

The prosecutors said Li and Wang used political contributions to gain photo-ops with elected officials, and in turn used the photos as a marketing tool to entice more investors for the TEC project.

In one case, the pair charged 12 foreign nationals—11 Chinese and one Singaporean—$93,000 each for admission to a fundraising event with Trump on June 28, 2017. They then used a photo of Li and the president to solicit more investments.

They donated $600,000 in their own names to the joint committee that hosted the fundraiser, which was unaware that the money actually belonged to foreign nationals. At the time, Li made news headlines for the large donations to Republican organizations.

In 2013 and 2014, Li also made donations to Democrats, including a total of $55,000 to then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and $2,500 to then-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, The Epoch Times previously reported. 

The recipients are not accused of any wrongdoing.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 11:40

"Turn Your Vagina Into A Pair Of Balls" - The Berenson-Smith Debate Bloodbath Post-Mortem

Last night’s debate was a feisty one to say the least… born out of a Twitter beef between comedian Dave Smith and writer Alex Berenson, Rav Arora (of the Illusion of Consensus podcast) arranged and hosted it.

Berenson kicked off by playing a 10-year old clip in which Smith makes a joke about the Holocaust as evidence of Dave’s Holocaust denial:

pic.twitter.com/dT1fi81CBO

— ZeroHedge Debates (@zerohedgeDebate) August 2, 2025

Smith rejected this as dishonest and evasive: “We could talk about issues that I believe in or issues that you believe in… but you want to do this bitch smear job shit.” 

In a mocking tone: “Ooh, you spoke to Richard Spencer in 2017 and made a joke with him. Like really scumbag?”

Flipping the guilt-by-association accusation back at Berenson: “You worked at the New York Times while they were selling the war in Iraq. Who was your favorite person to have lunch with… Judith Miller or was it Michael Gordon? Which one of the mouthpieces for war criminals did you enjoy working with the most as they got a million people killed in Iraq?”

Smith ended the introduction with the line of the night: “Put your thumb in your mouth, blow really hard, and try to turn your vagina into a pair of balls”

And it sent downhill from there...

pic.twitter.com/F5vO7bIzto

— ZeroHedge Debates (@zerohedgeDebate) August 2, 2025

Aside from this, there was much back and forth about Daryl Cooper (who seems to get brought up in every debate). We include the full debate below but a forewarning: it was a shit show. We aim to host more productive debates in our series but if you want to see a verbal boxing match, here you go:

https://t.co/VxdcERroN8

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) August 1, 2025

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 11:05

What's The Most Realistic Scenario In Which The West Might Replace Zelensky?

Authored by Andrew Korybko via Substack,

They might wait until after Russia agrees to a ceasefire (if it ever does) since replacing him with Zaluzhny while hostilities still rage could further weaken Ukraine to Russia’s benefit.

Russia’s foreign intelligence service (SVR) published a report in late July alleging that the Anglo-American Axis organized a secret meeting in the Alps with Zelensky’s Chief of Staff Yermak, GUR chief Budanov, and former Commander-in-Chief-turned-Ambassador-to-Britain Zaluzhny over Ukraine’s future. According to them, Yermak and Budanov agreed with the Anglo-American Axis’ proposal to replace Zelensky with Zaluzhny, which could be advanced on anti-corruption pretexts and “reset” Ukraine’s ties with the West.

Sputnik shared the following assessment of SVR’s report by former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter:

“SVR and its press service are ‘not a media outlet,’ Ritter pointed out. ‘They're not there to inform the public when they release information. It's usually done to achieve an objective or purpose’ - in this case signalling the desire to ‘inflict the most harm on Zelensky at a time when he is deemed to be most vulnerable,’ and ramp up divisions within his government, and between him and Zaluzhny”.

SVR’s report followed the Financial Times’ critical piece about Yermak, who SVR claimed had “set up” Zelensky by convincing him to crack down on anti-corruption institutions to justify any Western effort to replace him on this pretext, which came almost a year after Bloomberg’s own critical piece about him. Ritter’s assessment of SVR’s intentions is therefore credible, but seeing as how they and even Putin predicted Zelensky’s impending fall in the past, it remains to be seen whether it’ll happen anytime soon:

* 12 December 2023: “Naryshkin’s Scenario Forecast About The West Replacing Zelensky Shouldn’t Be Scoffed At”

* 22 January 2024: “Why’d SVR Publish Its Prediction About An Impending Bureaucratic Reshuffle In Ukraine?”

* 7 May 2024: “Russia Hopes To Influence Ukraine’s Possibly Impending US-Backed Regime Change Process”

* 22 June 2024: “How Likely Is It That The US Replaces Zelensky In The First Half Of Next Year?”

* 15 August 2024: “Assessing The Veracity Of SVR’s Latest Report About Impending Political Changes In Kiev”

* 14 November 2024: “The US Is Unlikely To Coerce Zelensky Into Holding Elections Without A Ceasefire First”

* 7 February 2025: “Russia’s Foreign Spy Agency Claims That NATO Wants To Depose Zelensky Through New Elections”

Returning to SVR’s latest report, Trump’s new three-pronged escalation of American involvement in the Ukrainian Conflict and his country’s recent subordination of the EU as its largest-ever vassal state via their totally lopsided trade deal might nullify any supposed prior US imperative to replace Zelensky. After all, Trump was just manipulated into mission creep in spite of his well-known spat with Zelensky at the White House in spring, and his new EU vassals already prioritize the proxy war over all else.

Therefore, it’s arguably the case that the West already “reset” its ties with Ukraine even though Zelensky is still in power instead of replacing him for that purpose like SVR said that they’d soon seek to do, which Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh also reported is in the cards 11 days before SVR did. Nevertheless, Zelensky’s most likely successor does indeed appear to be Zaluzhny just like SVR and Hersh reported, but the West might wait to install him until after Russia agrees to a ceasefire (if it ever does).

That’s because replacing him while hostilities still rage could further weaken Ukraine to Russia’s benefit. Doing so after they end could symbolically herald a new era for Ukraine, however, and also serve as a reward to Russia for compliance with the ceasefire by fulfilling its requirement for a legitimate Ukrainian leader with whom Putin might then sign a peace deal. These calculations make the most sense from the perspective of Western interests, but they could always change depending on the course of the conflict.

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 10:30



 

 

This week, I speak with Erik Hirsch, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Hamilton Lane, previously serving as CIO and Head of Strategic Initiatives. As co-CEO, he is responsible for the firm’s strategic direction and operations. Erik is also Vice Chairman and a trustee of the University of Virginia’s College Foundation, and serves on the board of the Philadelphia 76ers Youth Foundation. In this episode, they discuss the future of private credit, private capital, private equity,

A list of his favorite books is here; A transcript of our conversation is available here Tuesday.

You can stream and download our full conversation, including any podcast extras, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here.

Be sure to check out our Masters in Business next week with Tim Ferriss, author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, including The 4-Hour Workweek and Tools of Titans. He is also host of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, which has had more than a billion downloads. Ferriss was named to Fast Company‘s “Most Innovative Business People” and one of Fortune‘s “40 under 40.” He is an angel investor/advisor to firms such as Shopify, Twitter, Uber, Alibaba, clear and more than fifty others

 

 

Favorite Books

 

The post MiB: Erik Hirsch, Hamilton Lane appeared first on The Big Picture.

Democrats Spark "Manufactured Power Crisis" In Maryland As Left Begins To Panic

Maryland's deepening energy crisis and the resulting hyperinflation in power bill costs that have steamrolled working-class families are a stark reminder of why local elections matter. It's also a case study in what happens when one-party rule goes unchecked. Under far-left Democratic leadership, the state has been so epically mismanaged that it now faces multiple cascading crises, whether fiscal, energy-related, or tied to illegal aliens or violent crime. 

Last week marked a significant inflection point for the panicking Maryland Democratic Party, which can no longer ignore the power bill crisis. 

Governor Wes Moore, speaking from a swanky vineyard in northern Baltimore County, was forced to address the crisis and now has blamed skyrocketing power bills on the regional grid operator, PJM.

Moore's claim that PJM is somehow responsible for Maryland's power crisis is a masterclass in political deflection.

'Slap in the face': MD Gov. Wes Moore told me yesterday that he is going to pursue legal challenges against PJM, the region's grid operator, for skyrocketing electricity bills. When I asked if his energy policies are to blame, he said PJM "continues to thwart" new power plants. pic.twitter.com/zPhBqrgtkl

— Gary M. Collins (@realgarycollins) July 29, 2025

What's actually happened is that Moore and the Democratic Party have championed failed globalist "green" policies that led to the premature retirement of reliable fossil fuel power generation across the state for intermittent solar and wind, leaving the grid more fragile than ever. Meanwhile, baseload capacity has stagnated, forcing the state to import a significant portion of its electricity from neighboring states just to keep up with the soaring demand driven by data centers, EVs, and reshoring efforts. 

The power crisis is entirely self-inflicted and a result of failed green policies pushed by far-left state and local officials wearing climate-crisis blinders. These crazed leftists have no business managing the state's energy infrastructure, let alone its future. 

Local TV station WBFF Fox Baltimore's Gary Collins spoke with Maryland Del. Ryan Nawrocki, a Republican representing Baltimore County, who called the energy crisis in the state "manufactured" by failed green policies of the Democratic Party. 

Meanwhile, Maryland Del. Ryan Nawrocki, a Republican representing Baltimore County, said he believes Gov. Wes Moore is trying to shift blame for rising energy costs caused by his green energy agenda and progressive policies enacted by the Maryland General Assembly. pic.twitter.com/P2wMG2ttd6

— Gary M. Collins (@realgarycollins) July 29, 2025

Our reporting makes one thing clear: the power bill crisis is a political disaster for Moore and the Democrats. The optics are terrible, and worse, they have no real plan to fix the crisis. Instead, they're deflecting blame onto PJM. But let's be very honest with readers, anyone paying attention saw this trainwreck coming from a mile away: 

• Goldman Says Mid-Atlantic Power Prices "Finally Caught Up To AI Data Center Load Growth Story"

•  Maryland "Can't Import Itself Out Of Energy Crisis" Amid Urgent Need To Boost In-State Power Generation

• "Another Reason To Leave": Top Maryland Power Official Warns Of Regular Rolling Blackouts

• Green Agenda Fallout: Democrat-Led Northeast Now Has Highest Electricity Prices In Nation

• Maryland Democrats Scramble As Green Energy Agenda Sparks Power Bill Hyperinflation

• Brace For Soaring Electricity Bills: Biggest US Power Grid Sets Power Costs At Record High To Feed AI

• "You're Welcome": Pennsylvania Boasts About Saving 'Green' Maryland From Near Power Grid Collapse

State Democrats had to call in their dark-money funded NGO network to flood the airwaves with propaganda in a desperate attempt to quell growing dissent over the power bill crisis and the broader turmoil unfolding... 

• Far-Left Panic: Dark Money NGO Floods Baltimore Airwaves With Propaganda To Save Governor

GOP (or America First) strategists in Maryland, and every state run by far-left Democrats, should take note: hammering the Democrats on their failed green policies is a winning angle. These policies are directly fueling economic pain for the working poor. It's not a complicated strategy. 

Can't make this up: Democrats in Maryland were too focused on condoms for kids rather than actually resolving their own power crisis. 

Condoms for Kindergarteners — this is the priority of @mddems. Rather than supplying the grid with more power and lowering electric bills, or giving children stuck in failed schools a better option, Annapolis Democrats want to put condoms in kindergarten classrooms. Sad. pic.twitter.com/rpBog5jkgd

— Mark Fisher (@fisher4maryland) February 21, 2025

. . . 

Tyler Durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 09:55