Odds and Ends — 28 August 2025
“So many books, so little time.” — Frank Zappa
Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, AI, and Debt:
JPMorgan backs hedge fund Numerai with $500M, fueling crypto-AI convergence
Paris Police Probe Alleged Kidnapping and Wrench Attack of Ex-Crypto Trader
https://twitter.com/JustinWolfers/status/1960671704448917935
Why Aren’t Markets Freaking Out?
Do financial markets doubt that Trump will get his way? Or do they reject mainstream economics and the clear examples of countries like Turkey and Argentina?
Neither. My read of economic and financial history is that market pricing almost never takes into account the possibility of huge, disruptive events, even when the strong possibility of such events should be obvious. The usual pattern, instead, is one of market complacency until the last possible moment. That is, markets act as if everything is normal until it’s blindingly obvious that it isn’t.
Coronavirus and Public Health:
3 CDC Officials Resign Over ‘Weaponizing Public Health’
At least three top officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention submitted their resignations Wednesday, saying the recent changes and leadership at their agency are preventing them from fulfilling their duties as public health authorities.
https://twitter.com/dr_demetre/status/1960843433473376602
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved updated Covid vaccines for the fall season that limit who can get the shots, the federal government’s most restrictive policy since the vaccines became available.
The agency authorized the vaccines for people who are 65 and older, who are known to be more vulnerable to severe illness from Covid. Younger people would only be eligible if they have at least one underlying medical condition that put them at risk for severe disease.
Politics:
Not the Republican Party You Thought You Knew
Military patrols in U.S. cities. Police raids on homes of government critics. Mass detentions without due process. Government taking control of private companies. Supply shortages and price increases due to government attacks on free commercial exchange. The government imposing huge fines on media corporations for First Amendment protected speech that displeased the president. Enormous tax increases imposed on Americans without any vote by Congress. Violent convicted criminals released onto the streets because they directed their violence against persons the president targeted as his personal enemies.
And all of it done by — and enthusiastically supported by — people who use the language of liberty to justify acts of arbitrary power and economic predation.
———— Just Another Day in America ————
Two children and gunman dead after shooting at Minneapolis church
This one hits close to home. My son’s apartment is walking distance from that church.
‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens
Fox News Host Calls For Stricter Gun Laws
———— The Epstein Coverup ————
Democracy watchdog sues for files on Trump-Epstein relationship
———— Theresienstadt in the Everglades ————
’Alligator Alcatraz’ to Be Empty Within Days
A top Florida official says the controversial state-run immigration detention facility in the Everglades will likely be empty in a matter of days, even as Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and the federal government fight a judge’s order to shutter the facility dubbed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ by late October.
https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1960747855595102719
———— Autocracy R Us ————
https://twitter.com/Kasparov63/status/1960420531364356157
Two scandals just this week that are worse than what Nixon did.
One of the hardest things to do in the modern moment is keep up with the daily slog of scandals and corruption unfolding in this administration — sometimes in broad daylight in front of cameras in the Oval Office. On the one hand, it’s just too much for the media to cover, but there’s also a bigger problem: The media does a terrible job noticing them as the scandals go by. I think often of Steve Bannon’s infamous quote: ‘The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit.’
Almost every day there’s a scandal that just skates by that in any other moment of presidential history would launch endless follow-up stories, congressional investigations, and sink an administration.
https://twitter.com/LeftwardB24/status/1960537743509086528
https://twitter.com/SundaeDivine/status/1960712167340081573
https://twitter.com/Kasparov63/status/1960410780760990061
https://twitter.com/greggnunziata/status/1960463984517402901
Purge of DoJ Civil Rights Lawyers Continues
https://twitter.com/mluckovichajc/status/1960402502072893884
https://twitter.com/AlsikkanTV/status/1960428925319885083
———— Putin&Krasnov vs. Ukraine ————
https://twitter.com/Biz_Ukraine_Mag/status/1960481526346293451
https://twitter.com/vanguardintel/status/1960640252323774513
Trump Purged Top CIA Russia Expert After Summit
In the days leading up to President Donald Trump’s Aug. 15 Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of the CIA’s senior-most Russia experts worked grueling hours, helping Trump and his team prepare for high-stakes diplomacy over Ukraine and making sure they were adequately briefed.
Four days later, the CIA officer was at work at the spy agency’s Langley headquarters when she was abruptly ordered to report to the security office. She was informed that her clearance to look at classified material was being stripped.
In a span of minutes, her 29-year career in public service was essentially over.
https://twitter.com/OlenaWave/status/1960757808267137510
———— Melon Husk ————
https://twitter.com/flieldy/status/1960072114129793396
———— Mors Imperii ————
https://twitter.com/pesach_lattin/status/1960736686964662781
https://twitter.com/FPWellman/status/1960764097772867681
Nothing happens in public life without Trump putting his stamp on it. Cooperstown? Cracker Barrel? The Kennedy Center Honors? Trump has a will to dominate them.
He is the living embodiment of the leviathan, the totalized state.
No sector of American life exists beyond the reach of this president. There is no private sphere or civil society he feels should be outside his influence or control. There is only the dear leader, whose views must be considered in all matters.
https://twitter.com/BillKristol/status/1960696469725323368
Serendipity:
A Haunting Relic from America’s Past
On the 70th anniversary of Emmett Till’s death, his murder weapon goes on display in Mississippi.
https://twitter.com/Todd_Spence/status/1960749333030297849
Want a free Hive account? Join Hive using my referral link.