WendyMcElroy.com

BREAKING. From Zero Hedge: Trump Taps Pakistan To Reopen Iran Talks As Tehran Threatens More Hormuz Attacks; Rial Battered To Record Low. Bessent's big 'Economic D-Day' rollout presser set for 2pm eastern...

Cost of Living. From Zero Hedge: Trump To Flood US With 300,000 Tons Of Tariff-Free Ground Beef To Tame Prices Ahead Of Midterms. "We have a commitment that this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices." [Ed: and once you cast a vote, the price of a Big Mac goes back up.] From the Hill: Massie, Greene slam Trump’s move to lower beef prices. [Ed: and then there will be subsidies for beef ranchers to bear the financial blow of cheap foreign beef hitting the market.] From CNBC: ‘Perfect storm’ brews for global food supply this winter as grain prices soar.

From the Laughing Squid: A Group of Disabled Dogs in Wheelcarts Have a Blast Playing With a Stick in a Field

The Currency. From Quote the Raven: Our Debt Is Grotesque...And Will Kill The Dollar. And could send gold closer to $10,000 than $5,000 in short order... From Wolf Street: To Absorb $1 Trillion of New Treasuries in 3 Months, as the Debt Ballooned to $40 Trillion, Investors Demanded Higher Yields. Bessent Blows Fuse. [Ed: Wolf Richter can be technical in its analysis but he is very, very good.] AND Long-Term Treasury Yields Surge, Wipe Out Effect of Bessent’s Hocus-Pocus Treasury Buybacks in 2 Days. Bond Market Not to Be Played With

From the International Man: Why Comfortable People Don’t Revolt: Propaganda, Debt, and Control "The genius of the modern system is that it has made debt feel like wealth and dependency feel like security." [Ed: a must read.]

U.S.-Canada Tariffs. From Global News: Here’s what items will be tariffed by the U.S. [Ed: these will be priced higher on both sides of the border, with government(s) skimming/stealing off the top.] From Zero Hedge: Did Canada Just Sign Its Own Economic Death Warrant? [Ed: yes, I'm afraid it did. This will drive Canada into a depression.]

From the Mises Institute: The Telephone and the Brief Episode of “Imperfect” Competition (1894–1906). [Ed: fascinating.]

From Pupvine: A Florida Woman Walked Onto A Panama Island And Saw Something Wandering Alone With A Coconut.

Iran. From Son of the New American Revolution: Feeding the Enemy: How Washington’s Obsession With Iran Subverted Its Own War on Sunni Terror. [Ed: also subverted the midterm elections. Whether it is enough for the GOP to lose...???] From the Jerusalem Post: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan invited Iran to join newly-established Mecca defense pact - report. The invitation has not yet been officially confirmed by Iran's Foreign Ministry or by any of the three countries that are parties to the agreement. [Ed: this defense pact would be primarily against Israel, of course.]

From AZ Free News: Andy Biggs Joins Bipartisan Push For Investigation Into Federal Surveillance Of Americans’ Bank Accounts

Decline of Dem West Coast. From Law & Liberty: The Price of Portland's Luxury Beliefs. Wealthy white residents want equity initiatives. Minorities would prefer order. [Ed: fascinating analysis.] From Issues & Insights: Only the Homeless Population Is Growing In Newsom’s California From Oregon Live: Portland area leaders are dismantling a third of the homeless shelter system they just built. "...with homelessness still on the rise, those leaders are dismantling a significant slice of the system they just built."

From the Epoch Times: Temporary Protected Status Ends For 13 Nationalities [Ed: seems to be stressing self-deporation right now...but that will change.]

From Trending Politics: Newsom Signs ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ Aimed At Stopping Documentation Of Fraud. [Ed: I wondered if he would. This can be used against him in a future Presidential run.]

DSA. From Just the News: Maoist faction of DSA rejects AOC as potential candidate for lacking 'Palestine solidarity'. "Liberation condemns Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's continued retreat from socialist politics and rejects any effort to present her as the future presidential standard-bearer for DSA, or for the broader socialist movement," the group said in a statement. [Ed: Popcorn, please.] From Jonathan Turley: Assassination Sing-a-Long: Hasan Piker Mocks the Murdered Charlie Kirk to Cheering Crowd. "What is shocking is not the utter depravity and cruelty of Piker, but the ecstasy of the crowd in relishing the death of someone with opposing views." From Issues and Insights: ‘Democratic Party’ and ‘DSA’ Are Now Officially Synonymous.

From the American Kennel Club: ‘Mack the Bee Dog’ Retires From Protecting Maryland’s Honeybees

From Jonathan Turley: Azerbaijan Sues CNN Over Story on Cooperation with Israel in War on Iran. "...borders on the legally frivolous, but it is likely politically advantageous to show Iran that it contests the allegations." [Ed: political theatre.]

Israel. From Zero Hedge: Turkey & Israel On Brink Of Military Clash After Netanyahu Ordered Strikes On Syrian Airbase. Israeli PM for first time ever refers to Turkey as an "enemy state"... From BBC: How Israel is expanding settlements in drive to reshape West Bank. [Ed: the Greater Israel Project.]

From the Guardian: Burnham to visit Ukraine with promise of boost for Kyiv’s long-range missiles. PM will use independence day trip to announce sharing of classified information about Storm Shadow components. [Ed: the visit is today

From Cowboy State Daily: Cheyenne-Area Squatters Tell Homeowner He Can’t Touch Them — Then Get Arrested. [Ed: Wyoming leads the way in solving the squatter problem.]

From the Paws: Adopted German Shepherd Saves Owner After Stroke

“This is my Noodles. She was rescued from a Spanish kill-shelter and brought to Germany, where she joined our family when she was eight months old. She is a Spanish sighthound (Galgo Espa) mix, 13 years old now (a bit younger in this picture) and still acting like a pup. She is the clown, sometimes overly motivated and clumsy, the eager-beaver, curious, friendly, open-minded, extremely funny if not unintentionally comic sometimes.As said, she's is the funniest dog you could possibly imagine. Always with her humans, always ready for some mischief and adventures.”

From Energy Geopolitics & Statecraft: Resurrecting Keystone XL: Pipeline Politics in the Age of Trade Warfare. [Ed: this will happen as part of the US-Can trade deal.]

From the Liverpool Echo: Dog owner would 'sell house' to keep 'little angel' alive. The puppy has been in intensive care for 10 days FOLLOW-UP From Waggington Post: Owner left with $20,000 vet bill refuses to let dog die, raises money to save her life.

AI. From 404 Media: Subtlefakes: Slightly Altered Nonconsensual AI Images Are Taking Over X. [Ed: sounds plausible but I have to take people's word for it, and I don't like doing this.]

Water. From Reuters: US imposes deep Colorado River water cuts to California, Nevada and Arizona. [Ed: ouch. Calif is a huge agricultural state that sucks up water; the last two have quickly growing pops.] From TBS News: In drought-stricken France, tankers supply drinking water From Swissinfo: Drought in Switzerland: Europe’s ‘water tower’ runs dry

Ukraine-Russia. From Zero Hedge: Russia Says Ready For 'New Ideas' From US On Ending Ukraine War. Stipulates must be proposals in line with "realities on the ground." [Ed: this means Russia willnot surrender conquered land that gives it a path to the Crimea.]

From Med Page Today: Hospital Prepayment Rules Add New Wrinkle to Patients’ Financial Responsibility.

Upcoming Election. From Reuters: US Postal Service issues rules to tighten mail-in voting if court gives OK. [Ed: the USPS is enjoined from enforcing these rules by a District Court. A NYTs article makes it clear that SCOTUS needs to give a nod to the rules.] From Vote Beat: Trump is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow new mail ballot restrictions in the 2026 midterms. Even if the justices rule for him on the narrow legal question before them, it may be too late to change the administration of November’s election. From Townhall: Why Lisa Murkowski Is Trying to Corner James O'Keefe Over His Latest Video.

From the Honest Broker: Climate Change is Making Us Stupid. How the scientific community is undermining detection and attribution. [Ed: recommended.]

From the Daily Beast: Shock Frontrunner to Replace Leavitt Holds Secret Meetings With White House. [Ed: said to be CNN's Scott Jennings.]

From the DoDo: A 2-year-old girl met a sick pitbull at an animal shelter and refused to leave without the loving animal

From Euronews: Europe’s hollowed-out armies: The race to find 100,000 soldiers.

Fauci-Covid. From the MAHA Report: New E-mail Shows Fauci and Others Knew About Serious Vaccine Injuries in May 2021. Sen. Ron Johnson released a new email revealing Fauci knew, by May 2021, that Covid vaccines were causing serious injuries, did nothing. [Ed: never unquestionably accept a medical 'expert'.] From the Epoch Times: Biden Adviser Warned Fauci, CDC Director Cloth Masks Didn’t Work Well: Text. Dr. Michael Osterholm also said he wanted to avoid Freedom of Information Act requests, so he was texting rather than emailing.

From Wolf Street: Oh Dear, Condo Prices Fell by 15% to 33% in 33 Bigger Markets, Some Below 2006 Levels, as Historic Condo Bubbles Deflate

From Gizmodo: This Electric Shock Glove Was Invented for Police in the 1930s to ‘Incite Fear’. Police complained that people often fight back when they're being beaten with clubs. [Ed: Brad, you wondered how the glove worked.]

Deportations. From CNN: In the city where Haitian deportees are being sent, locals say they’re not ready. [Ed: deportations of Haitians began on Thursday.] From CBC: U.S. deporting thousands of Mexican migrants to Central American countries. U.S. deportations appear to be ramping up, with planes arriving Thursday in Haiti, Liberia. [Ed: Mexicans are being deported to S. American nations such as Guatemala and Honduras. Apparently started in April sometime.] From Reuters: Migrants flown to Equatorial Guinea after resisting Liberia deportation under Trump deal, sources say. [Ed: I'm guessing they can as brutal as they wish on removing the deportees from the plane in Guinea where there are probably no media anticipating the plane's arrival.]

From the New York Post: California Dem earning $207K taxpayer salary to face punishment after unleashing bizarre ‘small penis’ attack on journalist. [Ed: so that's what it takes to get a bureaucrat punished? Not corruption, not lying, not obstruction of justice...but bad penis jokes. Good to know. Oh, the journalist was Nick Shirley.]

From Sunny Skyz: Dog's Bark Brings Curious Cows to a Halt, Creating the Cutest Photo You'll See Today

Israel. From Responsible Statecraft: Israel is sponsoring ads on Ted Cruz's podcast. Is that legal? Under an unusual deal with iHeartMedia, revenue from the show goes to a pro-Cruz super PAC. [Ed: if not illegal, the practice certainly borders it.] From Mondoweiss: Besieged by Israeli settlers and cut off from the outside world, Palestinian families on a West Bank hilltop refuse to leave. For seven months, Israeli settlers have besieged three Palestinian homes on a hilltop near Nablus, but the families refuse to leave. "We will lose ourselves if we lose Ras al-Ain."

From CBS: More Supporting Independence for Stars and Stripes Are Fired. Dismissals of editor in chief, reporter follow CBS interview [Ed: I wish this story would get more attention. In April, officials also removed the paper's ombudsman, a position created by Congress to protect its editorial autonomy. The admin is not going to tolerate any objective criticism.]

Iran. From Anadolu Agency: Iranian army says its military doctrine shifting from 'defensive to offensive'. Army offers rewards for killing or capturing US troops in event of ground incursion. From the Independent: Iran-US war latest: Tehran warns countries against joining US ‘economic D-Day’ after Trump threats. US president Donald Trump accused Tehran of not being ready to make the ‘right deal’.

From Straight Arrow News: Judge vacates Trump admin policy suspending immigrant visas for 75 countries

From the Laughing Squid: Paralyzed Puppy Rescued From Morocco Tries to Win Over Her Adopted Family’s Cat

BREAKING. From CBC: American tariffs on Canadian goods take effect after trade talks fall apart. Prime minister says Canada will match latest American levies 'dollar for dollar'. [Ed: it is war. A trade war.] From CTV: PM Carney says Canada intends to match U.S. tariffs ‘dollar for dollar,’ after suspending trade negotiations. [Ed: for those who want a more in-depth read.]

BREAKING. From CNBC: Supreme Court allows Trump to continue White House ballroom construction for now. "Chief Justice John Roberts, stayed a federal district court judge’s injunction.

Cost of Living. From Straight Arrow News: How ‘buy now, pay later’ options quietly add interest fees. [Ed: far more people are reportedly now using 'buy now pay later' for necessities like rent, rather than new clothes, etc.] From USA Today: Walmart to cut prices using its tariff refunds. Will others follow? [Ed: only in the U.S., not in Canada.] From The Duran Daily: When the Ukraine War Reaches the Supermarket Shelves. The Russia–Ukraine conflict is moving beyond the battlefield, exposing how sanctions, fertilizer shortages, energy disruption and Black Sea insecurity can turn geopolitical confrontation into a global food shock. [Ed: the coming wheat crunch will be as significant as the oil crunch from the Strait of Hormuz disaster. A must read.]

From AOL Pets: Husky Learns How to Use Command Buttons—and Uses Them to Sass His Owner

Mamdani's Hypothetical Grocery Stores. From Red State: Field Trip to Mamdani's Socialist Supermarket Goes Hilariously Wrong. "They were greeted by an empty parking lot with no construction whatsoever. Even worse, there was trash..." From Townhall: Zohran Mamdani’s City-Run Grocery-Store Scheme Just Got Even More Ridiculous. [Ed: and more disastrous for NYC taxpayers.]

From Le Monde: Panama Canal to cut ship traffic over El Niño-fueled drought. From September 3, the number of vessels allowed through each day will fall from 36 to 34 due to low water levels in two artificial lakes that feed the canal, the Panama Canal Authority said on Thursday. It will drop to 32 from September 15 on. [Ed: given that the Strait of Hormuz is choked, the world cannot afford to reduce shipping in the Panama Canal.]

From Common Dreams: Poll Shows Voters Reject US-Israel Military Integration. [Ed: especially integration with Israel, which is increasingly unpopular...hated by some.]

From Barrie Today: 'She's our hero': Bear attack victim says her dog saved her life. ‘We rescued her, and she saved us right back,’ says Colette Shwetz, whose Nipigon home was invaded by aggressive bear. From Toronto City News: ‘Our hero’: Ontario dog honoured after saving owners from black bear that burst into their home

From Wiley Online Library: Future Projections of Burned Area in Europe Highlight the Importance of Human Action. [Ed: technical but interesting and stresses human management of fire risks, not existential threats.]

From Reason: An Ungrateful Public Underappreciates Data Centers. Their few defenders often misunderstand their benefits. [Ed: eye-opening article.]

Lawsuit Settlements. From the Guardian: Jury Awards College Athlete $9.25M Over NYT Defamation. Paper falsely tied ex-U of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears to scene of fatal shooting. [Ed: the Grey Lady is not what she used to be.] From the AP: Court Slashes Alex Jones' $50M Sandy Hook Judgment. Infowars' founder will have to pay only $1.5M of original award to families of school shooting victims. [Ed: Texas actually has a cap of $750,000 settlement and there were 2 plantiffs.] AND Prince Harry, Elton John Have to Pay Big Bucks to Daily Mail. They, along with 5 others, must pony up an initial $13M over failed invasion-of-privacy case

Tariffs. From the Hill: What is Trump afraid we will see about how the tariffs were formulated? [Ed: recommended.] From the Financial Post: Trade deal to leave ‘bad outcome’ for Canada and U.S., ex-minister says. Freeland compared U.S. protectionism to Brexit, calling it 'self-mutilating,' and warned of the risks of lopsided diplomacy. [Ed: for many years, the tariffs between US-Canada have been near zero.]

Brazil. From Mint Press News: US MEDDLING IN BRAZILIAN ELECTIONS, PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE MILITARY INTERVENTION

From Naked Capitalism: Why Working?Class People Account for Around 1% of Lawmakers in the US – and Only 2% in the Average Democracy Around the World

From Zero Hedge: ActBlue Co-Founder Invokes the Fifth Amendment As House Fraud Probe Widens. DeBergalis is not the first ActBlue official to invoke their Fifth Amendment rights. [Ed: ActBlue was a way to launder $ into Dem campaigns and treasury chests. $20B since its inception, with much of it probably be from foreign sources, which is illegal.]

From Reason: America Is Building a Surveillance State Like China's. "If there are Flock cameras in your city, they are tracking, logging and sharing your movements without a warrant," warns the ACLU. [Ed: it is good to live down a gravel road in rural Canada.]

From the Waggington Post: Family builds mobile bed for 16-year-old senior dog so she can visit the beach

From FOX News: Missouri judge hands Trump, GOP major redistricting win ahead of midterm elections. Cole County judge sided with Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who rejected a referendum petition on the map. [Ed: another key state remains redistricted in favor of the GOP.]

Trump & Cohen. From the Epoch Times: Trump Tells Michael Cohen "They Weaponized You" In Radio Interview, Praises His Recanting. "I respect the fact that you recanted everything you said", the president told his former attorney-turned-nemesis. [Ed: a strategic reconciliation on Trump's part. The info and public support Cohen can give against Trump's bigger enemies is worth it to the Don.] From the Gateway Pundit: CNN Stunner: Legal Analyst Says Michael Cohen Just “Demolished” Bragg’s Case Against Trump [Ed: in order to get to Bragg, Trump will shake hands with Cohen. I rarely quote Gateway Pundit but I think this analysis is dead-on.]

From AFP: Nord Stream attack suspect arrested on set of Hollywood movie about blasts. "Prosecutors charge Zhuravlov worked closely with Serhii Kuznetsov, another Ukrainian man who was arrested in Italy last year before being extradited to Germany." [Ed: it seems clear that Ukraine was behind the pipe explosion.]

Iran. From the New Arab: The US-Iran war is entering a dangerous new phase. "https://www.newarab.com/analysis/us-iran-war-entering-dangerous-new-phase." From Moon of Alabama: War On Iran: – Iran’s Advantage.. From Son of the New American Revolution: Bessent Doesn’t Understand that He Can’t Weaponize the Dollar with Iran and Bank On It with China. "Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had a schizophrenic Thursday." AND Via YouTube Pentagon Can’t Feed Its Sailors, Let Alone Sustain a Long War

Ukraine. From Remix News: Ukraine Corruption Scandal Deepens: 'Operation Forrest Gump' Shocks Zelensky Government With More Searches. Is the noose tightening around Zelensky? The anti-corruption crisis facing his administration is only growing. [Ed: the globally destructive asshole cannot be ousted fast enough.] From Euronews: Missing in action: Ukrainian soldiers reportedly desert during training in Germany Euronews

From Tablet: China Erases Its Jewish Past. Jews have lived in Kaifeng for a millennium. It took Xi Jinping only a decade to bring them to the brink. [Ed: what a fascinating article.]

From People: Dog Rescued After 120-Foot Fall and 17 Hours Stuck on Cliff, Bystanders Say It Was a ‘Miracle’ Pup Survived. The dog’s owner said he had let his dog off the leash to explore and noticed the dog was missing after visiting a lookout point in Tennessee.

From Gizmodo: El Nino May Offer Peek at Future Temperatures. Spoiler alert: It's going to be hot in the 2030s

Bogus U.S. Election Polls. From FOX News: Mysterious Polling Firm Behind Fake Election Surveys Closes After Admitting ‘Social Experiment’. "Median Strategies, the company that released polls indicating Democratic Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles and Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong leading their rivals by wide margins, announced this week that the surveys were a hoax and that it has closed its doors. " From the Washington Examiner: How fake polling could upend the midterm elections. "...bogus data to shape political narratives to the benefit of their preferred candidates."

From X, Photographer: German Shepherd and Kitten.

Israel-Palestine. From antiwar: After More Than Two Years, Israel Admits to Firing on Car Carrying Five-Year-Old Hind Rajab and the Ambulance Sent To Rescue Her. [Ed: what with outright lies and cover-ups. do not take any 'news' as automatically true.] From the Guardian: Israel’s Ben-Gvir posts video of gallows site for hanging Palestinians. Far-right minister says those convicted in military courts of terror offences will be executed after passing of death penalty law that does not apply to Jewish extremists. [Ed: I hear that the accuseds have over a 99% conviction rate.] From Euronews: European leaders demand Israel halt controversial E1 settlement project in West Bank. [Ed: this will not deter Israel.]

Iran. From Son of the New American Revolution: The Confession in the Escalation: If Iran Is Beaten and Hormuz Is Ours, Why the “Unprecedented” Sanctions? [Ed: an excellent question.] From Responsible Statecraft: As Baghdad tries to please Trump, Iran tells Iraqi militias not to disarm. The new prime minister is trying to balance between Tehran and Washington without sparking new civil conflict. So far, it's not working.

Swalwell. From CNN: FBI Reportedly Seizes Swalwell's Devices at Airport. Federal agents also reportedly searched DC home of former congressman. [Ed: part of the wider investigation that involves Newsom?] From the Guardian: Progressive Aisha Wahab wins California special election to fill Eric Swalwell seat. State senator beats rival Melissa Hernandez and will replace US congressman who quit amid sexual misconduct claims. [Ed Wahab is a placeholder now but she will be on the November ballot.]

Ukraine-Russia-(UK?) War. From the Peacemonger: British Foreign Policy on Autopilot: Escalating in Ukraine Without Strategy, Consent or Hard Power. "...a Whitehall that appears to be on autopilot." From Anadolu Agency: Russia warns UK against participation in war. [Ed: the UK has been a major driver of the war for years.] From Zero Hedge: Mass Casualties In Large Russian Assault On Ukraine's Capital, Air Defenses Dwindle. 'Retaliation' after over 600 drones sent on Moscow at start of week...

From Happy Whisker: California Engineer Hears About Tiny Chihuahua’s Struggle And Ships A Beautiful Surprise

Russia. From Andrew Korybko: Is A Social Crisis Really Inevitable Like A Former Top Russian Economist Recently Warned? "It’s dishonest to deny that Russia faces some socio-economic challenges, but there’s no credible reason to expect a social crisis in the coming future along the lines of the ones from 1917 and 1991." [Ed: I take Korybko seriously.] From Euronews: Russia runs out of petrol at seven in 10 stations as fuel crisis worsens AND Russians pull billions from banks fearing Kremlin will seize savings for war

From the Organic Prepper: 4 Flashlights Every Prepper Needs

Upcoming U.S. Election. From Jonathan Turley: Fourth Circuit Strikes Down South Carolina’s Restrictions on Absentee Ballots under the 26th Amendment. From NOTUS: Darline Graham’s Campaign Must Give Back Megadonor Money. Federal regulators flagged donations to the Republican senator from prominent executives, attorneys and former ambassadors. From the Guardian: Another democratic socialist victory – Angie Nixon for Senator in Florida – sends shock waves through party establishment. [Ed: but Trump is happy because her positions are so extreme and ridiculous.]

From Dog News: Will I Or Will I Not? Vincent Indeglia explains the pitfalls of estate planning for pets.

From Wired: Flock Has a Powerful New AI Tool for Police. We Got Its Code. Flock’s surveillance cameras have already sparked outrage. WIRED reconstructed its next-generation AI system, already in use by some police, to confirm it goes much further than tracking license plates. AND Reverse-Lookup Service Exposed Millions of Photos of People's Faces. [Ed: despite being advertised as private and secure. Never believe those assurances.]

From the Babylon Bee: America Descends Into Mourning Upon News That Harry And Meghan Are Leaving

Everyday Economics. From Mish Talk: Good Morning Farmers. Diesel Is Only 27 Cents from a Record High. [Ed: high prices for farmers is high prices for consumers.] From Climate Uncovered: Hunger At The 2°C Dinner Table. How 2°C redraws the map of hunger from the fields of Malawi to the checkout in Tesco, why it is arriving 20 years earlier than the IPCC said it would, and why starvation toll is still a policy choice. From Zero Hedge: Food Supply Alert: Ukraine Grain Exports Collapse As Black Sea Attacks Choke Global Shipments. "Ukraine and Russia dropping out of the market could trigger a new global grain crisis."

From South China Morning Post: China’s first corgi police dog in trouble again – this time for stealing sausage during patrol. Captivating canine police officer which has become social media sensation, snatches banger, takes bite, later given formal dressing down.