Odds and Ends — 22 August 2026

about 5 hours ago

Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, AI, and Debt:

U.S. Debt Just Topped $40 Trillion: How We Got Here

Debt and deficits haven’t always been a problem in the U.S. Publicly held debt—now approaching World War II levels at about 100% of the country’s annual GDP—was just 31.5% of GDP in 2001 after four years in which the government ran budget surpluses.

Scott Bessent:

https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/2090470024347603288

https://x.com/RobinWigg/status/2090497585446355022

https://x.com/chucktodd/status/2090523427031400770

https://x.com/DittiePE/status/2090440568220295605

https://x.com/RSA_Observer/status/2090616447491866651

https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/2090618417782899011

Coronavirus and Public Health:

https://x.com/jakescottMD/status/2090569661872247068

Iran:

https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/2090468202069262829

U.S. Moves Up Winter Gasoline Sales

The Trump administration is authorizing an early shift to the sale of wintertime gasoline blends, its latest move to blunt fuel costs and supply concerns stoked by the war in Iran… The switch, which enables the use of a dirtier-burning wintertime fuel blend, typically happens in mid September.

https://x.com/mynamehear/status/2090507013495071179

https://x.com/Quadcarl/status/2090441250063172003

Politics:

Vindman Will Give Campaign Funds to Florida Democrats

Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who lost Tuesday’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Florida, said he’ll be giving away the millions he raised for his campaign ‘to the places it will matter most’ — starting with the Florida Democratic Party.

Trump Was Warned About Peeling Reflecting Pool

A U.S. National Park Service engineer warned the Trump administration about the floor of the Lincoln Reflecting Pool peeling in early June due to the renovation process and the materials used for the job, court filings revealed Wednesday.
Despite that warning, President Donald Trump accused multiple people of ‘destroying’ the pool once it reopened to the public.

https://x.com/Lucius0/status/2090513719583215964
https://x.com/jrovner/status/2090484452954628107

The Pentagon on Friday fired the publisher and the editor in chief of Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper funded by the Department of Defense that has long enjoyed editorial independence from the government.

https://x.com/lara_korte/status/2090883997651939424

———— Luigi ————

https://x.com/TitanNamedAtlas/status/2090149479290634439

———— Mors Imperii ————

https://x.com/SaraLibby/status/2090591294213288283

Trump’s War on Reality Comes for the Census

I can no longer vouch for any of that. Now my answer is: No, you should not default to trusting the government data. There’s clear evidence the Trump administration is cooking at least some of the books.

https://x.com/covie_93/status/2090212756435689803

https://x.com/unclegrambo/status/2090178364644483318

https://x.com/SundaeDivine/status/2090745097264509056