Law, Power, and Justice

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  • NETANYAHU KNEw

    MONDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2026

    It’s a lovely morning, finally we have cool breezes. I can hear the Monday Morning Mexies outside, so there must not be an ICE raid this week. Bastards. I haven’t checked my Facebook this morning. Last week, it was filled with warnings and lamentations from one woman whose husband had been taken to Folkston where there is the nearest private prison.

    Article: Said, Summer and Anat Peled (9/27/26) “Egypt warned Netanyahu…” The Wall Street Journal.

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

    · By early October 2023, Egypt had already warned Israel twice about signs of an impending attack by Hamas. Israel had done nothing.

    · Egypt’s intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, called Netanyahu to deliver a third alert. Days later Hamas would unleash the attack that killed around 1200 people and 250 taken hostage.

    · This warning, which hadn’t previously been released, was one of several. Netanyahu is denying all of these advanced warnings.

    · (Note: Book about lead up to the attack: “843 Days of Abandonment and Resilience” by Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval, the reporters who first revealed the call from the U.A.E.)

    · Netanyahu has opposed the creation of an independent commission which would take a look at his government’s responsibility for actions that led to the attack. His objection is that such a commission would be led by the Israeli Supreme Court, which he says, is biased against him.

    · A large proportion of the Israeli people support such an independent inquiry.

    · Accouding to one poll, 68% of Jewish Israelis say that Oct. 7 is a major factor in their decision on which party to vote for.

    · Gadi Eisenkot, a former top commander in the Israeli military, is the front runner opposition candidate. He claims that Netanyahu has evaded accountability for the attack and has accused him of possible treason for backing payments by Qatar to Gaza that benefited Hamas before the incursion.

    · Eisenkot was quoted as saying in the Wall Street Journal: “The accumulation of facts exposed in recent months…regarding warnings from the heads of Israel’s security establishment and various officials from foreign countries leaves no room for doubt: Netanyahu led the state of Israel in blindness, arrogance and irresponsibility to the greatest disaster in its history.”

    · Netanyahu has blamed his security chiefs, who he says failed to warn him of an impending attack. “He and his allies have said that his security officials hid vital information about the attack from him.”

    · Israel’s “sharply divided” electorate and multiparty system “usually means the government is run by a coalition. Analysts say that Netanyahu might be betting on a stalemate and the need for another election, allowing him to stay on as caretaker prime minister.”

    · The first Egyptian warning to Israel was vague. They encouraged “Israel to return to the negotiating table with Hamas.” Later on Kamel flew to Israel to convey a more serious warning. The situation in Gaza was dire and could blow up in everyone’s faces…”

    · But, the Israeli officials told Kamel they had the situation under control. “The Egyptians. Continue to warn Israel up until 48 hours before the attack. One of these officials said.”

    · Analysts also say that the failure to take the warnings seriously go beyond Netanyahu. “The Shin Bet internal-security service lacked human-intelligence sources in Gaza that might have uncovered Hamas’s plans.” “The Israeli military dismissed warnings by female observers on Gaza’s border who reported increased Hamas training and a blueprint of Hamas’s invasion plan was obtained by the Israeli military but was dismissed as unrealistic.”

    · There was a great deal of hubris involved in Israel’s assessment of Hamas and its capabilities.

    ARTICLE: Maanit, Chen (9/28/26) “Submarine affair findings against Netanyahu likely to stand if he remains silent. Haaretz.

    · The “submarine affair” involves decisions made between 2009 and 2016 on submarine and naval vessel deals with Germany.

    · A commission of inquiry has reached findings and Netanyahu’s lawyer was supposed to review the findings. He has not, however, gone to the secure facility so he can examine the evidence. At one time Netanyahu was said to be calling many witnesses, but there is no indication now that he will.

    · The panel is headed by former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis.

    · In another investigation in March of 2024, a separate state commission found that there were reasonable grounds to conclude that Netanyahu knew about longstanding safety problems at the Mount Meron site and the dangers that were posed. In 2021 45 people were crushed and killed at the site during the annual Lag Ba’Omer celebration.

  • SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMER 2026

    Well, it’s a mercifully cool morning. The measles death count is increasing. Pennsylvania is asking for assistance from the CDC and largely getting obstruction.

    The cats are already outside. Aside from napping, their absolute favorite thing to do is to explore their yard. We’ve never really had a problem with one of them straying off the property before Sam. Everything is before Sam. We don’t even know where Sam goes. He’s like another cat when he’s outside, in another world. He’s a wild cat out there. Yesterday he ate, or at least caught a blue tail skenk, which scared his mother to death.

    Blue tails can make them very sick. Eddie ate one once. When the vet, the wonderful Dr. Brooks walked in the door he stopped dead in his tracks: “He feels horrible doesn’t he?” Very few people notice what cats feel like if they don’t live with them. Cats are specialists at hiding pain – they are afraid somebody will try to get one up on them if they perceive any weakness.

    So, I suppose the wonderful, ingenious skink, dropped the blue tail and escaped because Sam is not sick this morning. Yesterday, I had to pick him up and drag him into the house.

    NEWS NOTES

    QUOTE: Russian saying: “There is no rock bottom, there is knocking from below the bottom.” Things can and will get worse (Kuznetsova and Storyev)

    ARTICLE: Pisani, Joseph (9/25/26) “Trump angers lawmakers with $810 million in cuts.” The Wall Street Journal.

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

    · Trump is clawing back $810 already approved by Congress, again trying to challenge Congress’ authority over government spending.

    · The cuts are known as “pocket rescissions” were for programs that “provide health and education services and support for immigrants, refugees and minority-owned businesses.”

    · This move tests the Impoundment Control Act under which the White House can pause spending for 45 days while it asks Congress to pass a measure rescinding the money. If Congress doesn’t act, the money must be released.

    · (Collins is trying to behave as if she gives a shit by calling it an “unlawful cancellation of appropriations…approved on a bipartisan basis…”)

    ARTICLE: Kuznetsova, Maria and Dan Storyev (9/25/26) “6 Russian words…” Foreign Policy.

    · Book: “How to Survive Authoritarianism: A Russian Phrasebook for Everyday Life in America.”

    · The authors grew up in Russia and watched as Putin centralized power. “Russians…have generations of experience with the sense of unreality that characterizes life under an oppressive state.”

    · (Note: Andrei Tarkovsky 1979 film Stalker)

    ARTICLE: Grossman, Nicolas (9/24/26) “Saudi Arabia bribed the wrong people.” Foreign Policy.

    · “Saudi Arabia is in serious trouble. Its global influence primarily comes from its leading position as an oil producer and the money resulting from that role…. Today, Saudi tankers are blocked in the Persian Gulf and under threat in the Red Sea, and the country’s biggest oil pipeline has shut down after a drone attacked. Yet Saudi Arabia’s biggest long term problem may be that it’s long time security guarantor the United States is unable to put out the fire and doesn’t seem especially interested in trying.”

    BOOKS:

    DEN OF SPIES BY CRAIG UNGER.

    The Iran Hostage crisis did not come at a good time for the CIA. In 1974. The New York Times exposed that the CIA had been conducting massive illegal domestic intelligence operations against the anti-war movement and other activists during the Vietnam War. Soon after that investigations by the Church Committee exposed the full range of the CIA’s dirty little secrets for all to see. “Among them were 1/4 century of overseas assassination attempts, illegal wiretaps, human experimentation, spying for Richard Nixon and Watergate, and more. They had staged coup d’etats in Syria in 1949, in Iran in 1953, in Guatemala in 1954, in the Congo in 1960, in the Dominican Republic in 1963, in South Vietnam in 1963, in Brazil in 1964 and in Chile in 1973. There were CIA plots to assassinate foreign leaders in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Chile, Vietnam and more” (17)

  • Friday 25 September 2026

    News Notes

    I can’t even begin to compete with Charlie Pierce to summarize his writing. He has two articles in Esquire you should think about reading: “Trump’s Latest Deal with Belarus Sure Smells like Shit,” and “Trump’s Bizarre Reaction to the Ebola News.”

    Some Suggested Books

    Torbati, Yeanen. “Stolen Revolution.”

    Mueenuddin, Daniyal. “This is Where the Serpent Lives.”

    Rivera Gaza, Cristina. “Autobiography of Cotton.”

    TRUMP AUTHORITARIANISM: IMMIGRATION

    Ingram, Julia (9/25/26) “ICE wasted millions…” CBS News.

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

    · In early 2026, ICE spent $1.07 billion to purchase eleven warehouses it planned to convert into detention mega centers. It now plans to sell seven of them.

    · In July and August, IC moved $2.2 billion to purchase four detention facilities from CoreCivic a private prison company. ICE is paying CoreCivic to continue to operate the facilities.

    · A GAO report released recently revealed that ICE wasted millions of taxpayer money and lost $20 million in “unrecoverable costs purchasing the warehouses it no longer plans to use…” Even more could be lost if ICE has to sell warehouses for less than that it paid for them.

    · ICE is pushing to double the number of detention beds. This week, it gave contracts that could reach a combined $10 billion to expand and construct new facilities.

    · ICE promised to come up with a plan to reduce further waste by August of 2027.

    · (Note: What this amounts to is an enormous amount of money appropriated to ICE, pressure to spend it quickly without the normal guardrails and processes. The result has been a disaster.)

    · “… Through FEMA reimbursements ICE paid the state of Florida almost triple its typical per bed rate for two state operated facilities, including the now shuttered facility dubbed Alligator Alcatraz.”

    · “ICE is also paying more than it typically would per bed to house non citizen detainees at facilities operated by the Bureau of Prisons. BOP officials told Goa they’ve had to pay staff overtime and for temporary assignments to meet Ice’s needs, resulting in a per bed rate double that of Ice’s median rate.”

    · In addition: “$7.1 million on detainee meals it did not need…$2.85 million on tents at Guantanamo Bay that were never used.”

    ARTICLE: Gerstein, Josh and Kyle Cheney (9/24/26) “Trump admin asks Supreme Court to lift limits on third-country deportations.” Politico.

    TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AUTHORITARIANISM: GRIFT

    ARTICLE: Catalini, Mike (9/24/26) “US government foots bill for television advertisement featuring rump midterm messaging.” AP news.

    TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AUTHORITARIANISM: INCOMPETENCE

    Kube, Courtney, et. al. (9/23/26) “8 service members attempted suicide on USS Lincoln during extended deployment…” NBC News.

    Life Notes:

    Why on earth MN Now has Alberto Gonzales, former US Attorney General, on air talking about the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the federal government to have a role in voting.

  • Life and News notes 21 September 2026

    Monday 21 September 2026

    NEWS SHORTS

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

    · On the last day of parliamentary elections in Russia, Ukraine pulled off a major drone attack including on Moscow (MSNow). Drones hit one of the country’s largest oil refineries (Daily Beast).

    · ICE officer shoots another man in Austin (The Texas Tribune). The man was making a DoorDash delivery (Austin American-Statesman).

    · CNN, MSNOW and Politico are suing White House over blocked access (Axois).

    · World leaders meet at UN this week (Reuters).

    · Russia is hiring Ukrainian children to carry out attacks (Washington Post).

    · Trump administration determined to dismantle International Criminal Court (Wall Street Journal). (Note: Just what we need).

    · Violent West Bank settlers are threatening Israel’s alliance with America. Once relatively uncommon, settler terrorism, has “exploded in severity in recent years – with a wink-nudge support from…Netanyahu” “Democrats…have come together to support legislation that would impose sanctions on Israeli politicians and corporations implicated in the violence. The Trump administration, the most pro-settlement White House in American history, has very conspicuously stood aside as Canada and European nation implemented sanctions of their own….the political movement oversall exists to seize land from Palestinians and slam the door on the possibility of a two-state solution…” (Vox). Beauchamp, Zack (9/21/26) “How violent West Bank settlers are threatening Israel’s alliance with America.” Vox.

    · Book: Akbar Shahid Ahmed, “Crossing the Red Line,” Biden policy on Gaza.

    BOOKS: Unger, Craig (2024) Den of Spies: Reagan, Carter, and the Secret History of the Treason That Stole the White House. Boston and New York: Mariner Books.

    Less than two weeks after the Shah arrived in the United States to receive cancer treatment Jimmy Carter was told he couldn’t get anywhere else in the world, on November 4, 1979, hundreds of Iranians stormed the American embassy and took seventy hostages as they demanded the extradition of the Shah. (14

    The media was covering the situation minute by minute. Carter’s poll numbers plummeted and he appeared weak and helpless. Carter was crippoled by “the absence of good intelligence by the CIA on what was happening interenally with Iran,” according to Stuart Eizenstat, the White House domestic affairs adviser.

    Carter had almost no alternatives. Military intervention risked the lives of the hostages. Diplomacy was going nowhere. And, the Strait of Hormuz hung in the balance. Iran needed arms. All theirs were out of date American arms, but the trade of arms for hostages struck Carter, one of the few moral men left in American politics, as paying a bribe to terrorists (17).

    ART:

    ART BOOKS

    GAUGUIN

    Hanson, Lawrence and Elizabeth (1954) “Noble Savage: The Life of Paul Gauguin.”

    In 1855, when Gauguin’s paternal grandfather died Paul and his mother relocated to France. Suddenly, the benefits of being a member of a wealthy elite family vanished and Paul was just another fairly poor student who could hardly speak French. At 17 he decided he wanted to go to sea. His mother objected but there was little you could do with Paul.

    When Paul first told Mette, she recognized the rolling gate that characterized him and not his business colleagues. Six years at sea has “…turned him from a weedy boy into a powerful man and confirmed his sense of superiority.” When he returned in 1871 his mother was dead and everything she owned destroyed by the Prussians. But her last thought was of him and arranging a man to take care of him when he returned.

    https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-global-life-of-paul-gauguin/7wVBgBK4f2CjGg?hl=en

  • Sunday 20 September 2026

    LIFE NOTES

    RUSSIA

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

    · Putin has declared that war veterans should form the “leadership cadre” of the Russian future. He has created a program to fast track them into senior political and corporate positions. Polling indicates support for the war against Ukraine, but polling is notoriously inaccurate in Russia, and supporting the war is not supporting the effects of the war on daily life. The point of all this is to “build a political class capable of sustaining endless war, no matter the cost” (Newsweek).

    ISRAEL

    · Last week Israel’s most influential and respected newspaper reported that Netanyahu was not only funneling billions to Hamas, but was warned in advance of Oct. 7. The rationale goes that the massacre provided a justification for dragging the U.S. into an all-out war with Iran, and thus reclaim Gaza (Pennlive). A colleague of mine theorizes that Netanyahu knew in advance, he just didn’t know how extensive and devastating the attack would be. It would make sense to replace Netanyahu, but the potential successors “may be further to the right than he is” (Pennlive)

    · The Jerusalem Post, however, published an opinion piece (Greer Fay Cashman) that evidently sums up the feelings of a lot of Israelis. Netanyahu was elected, and if you believe in democracy you must support the government. “Internal squabbles” make Israel look weak. “An attack on the leaders contributes to paving the path to anarchy.” Ehud Barak, whose voice is frequently heard in the anti-Bibi circles is attackin Bibi’s character, in interviews with foreign media. “

    · “To do so. Encourages further character assassination, such as that displayed in the AI Generated Judicial Reform Campaign video released by Benazir Smoltrich, in which he showed Chief Justice Isaac Emmett and Attorney General Gali Baharov. Sarah being arrested by police and dragged through the streets. This was so outrageously below the belt that even people on the right who supported judicial reform were outraged.”

    · “While I understand what it means to bereaved families, have BB either admit to being accountable or having COM a Commission of inquiry, decide that he’s accountable, it doesn’t really serve any purpose. It doesn’t bring back the dead, it doesn’t heal the wounded, it doesn’t stop the grief in the morning” (The Jerusalem Post 9/19/26).

    LIFE NOTES

    Beautiful Fall Leaves

  • Trump and the press

    Saturday 19 September 2026

    News Note Shorts

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

    · Demonstration at the Kennedy Centre over concern that Trump is determined to tear it down.

    · CNN AND MS NOW denied access to White House. There is precedent that the president cannot deny access to the White House based on perspective, but he can deny press conferences completely. But, Donald Trump would die in a day if he were denied access to the press. He lives and breathes off the press.

    · Fuel depot ablaze at airport in Saudi capital.

    · Elections in Russia. United Russia is the governing party. Other parties have been removed from the ballot. The lower house of parliament is the Duma. Yabloko, the only anti-war party was banned. There have been no debates taken part in by United Russia. The election is purposefully boring to discourage people who disagree with Putin and United Russia from going to the polls. There is a fear that there will be a general mobilization after the elections (Washington Post).

    · Israel: Sara Netanyahu insinuated in an interview that there was advanced knowledge of the October 7 attack among the defense establishment. “…the Government has thwarted the establishment of a state Commission of inquiry and is preventing an investigation into the circumstances that enabled the attack (Haaretz)

    · Ukraine takes advantage of withholding information on advances and relying on the face that “… Russian forces have a deeply rooted culture of misinforming, misleading and lying to superiors in the chain of command to secure favorable treatment from higher ups and to avoid repercussions when the situation deteriorates in their sector…” (Newsweek).

    · According to the anti-war project Ark, Russians are leaving the country in fear of mobilization. People have begun opening foreign bank accounts and moving assets abroad.

    · (EuroNews).

  • Thursday 17 September 2026

    I don’t know where September went. It’s half over. I can hear the train whistle in the background, about a mile away. About the same distance it was from our house when I was growing up. It’s the same old train whistle too, just the same, familiar noise.

    My daddy used to complain that the train whistle kept him up all night. I don’t know how many times it went through town in a day or a night, but it seemed like a lot. I can’t count the times I sat in a car with my mother waiting for the train to go through, or back up, or pull forward. It went right through the center of the town, such as it was – one main street and several side streets. And people put their cars in park and got out and visited between cars for the half an hour or forth-five minutes it took to get the train ready to leave again. Miss Rochelle was the worst. she would get out of the car and we would have to wait and wait after the train moved, and sometimes even blow the horn to get her to stop talking and get back into her own car. She never resented it. She would laugh, as if she thought her own behavior was so very funny. It was infectious. Most people couldn’t help laughing along with her, even if they were in a hurry to go somewhere. That was just Miss Rochelle.

    I know I bought apple juice for something and in my mind thre is a photograph of rosemary in it. So…..Apple Rosemary cocktail recipe – ¼ c. water, ¼ c. honey, 3 sprigs rosemary, ½ c gin, ¼ c. lemon juice, ¼ c. apple juice. Boil water, honey and rosemary, turn off heat steep 10 min, cool to room temp. combine gin, lemon, apple and syrup mixture in small pitcher, strain into glasses and serve over ice. Refrigerate leftovers.

    News Notes

    ISRAEL

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

    · Book: “Hashem Ori” written by the father of a hostage killed in Gaza.

    · The former Attorney General who gave permission to indict Netanyahu will most likely take the stand in Netanyahu’s trial in the coming weeks. He will most probably do so only weeks before the election. (Jerusalem Post, 9/17/26)

    · The Israeli army has terminated the service of the Gaza Division intelligence officer during the Octoer 7, 2023 attack. Professional errors, failures and command responsibility were cited.

    · Sardines are good for you. That’s good news because we are traveling to Spain.

    · A judge in Minnesota appointed by George W. Bush with 20 years of experience on the bench wrote in a January order: “ICE is not a law unto itself.” Judge Schiltz clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia in the 1980s and has had close ties with the conservative legal establishment for decades. Events in Minnesota’s federal court “created a grave threat to the rule of law,” he said (NYT, 9/17/26).

    · Under Pete Hegseth there have been 1) purges of senior military officers on an unprecedented scale; 2) new restrictions on where officers can study and what thoughts they can express in academic papers, 3) polygraphs aimed at ferreting out leakers or intimidating those tempted to share sensitive information, 4) long deployments, 5) shortfalls of critical middile interceptors, 6) climates of mistrust in the top ranks. Hegseth was determined to raise standards and liberate the military from “left-wing agenda.” His aim has been to restore a “warrior ethos” (that includes testing testosterone.). He has fired or blocked the promotions of as many as 80 generals and admirals. Key leadership positions hae gone unfilled for months. Hegseth views education as a “conduit for corrupting, liberal ideas” (NYT wording).

  • NETANYAHU KNEW

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES FROM AN OVEREDUCATED, CHILDLESS OLD CAT LADY, BEAVERING AWAY IN ONE OF THE SUB-BASEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY OF SNARK

    Tuesday 8 September 2026

    The most important new story of the day, according to my opinion, is that Benjamin Netanyahu was given explicit advanced warning of an attack on October 7. Not only did he refrain from doing anything about it, he failed to notify his military and others high up in his cabinet that an attack was coming (Eldar, 9/8/26).

    The Middle East is not usually my locus of interest when it comes to international affairs. Having traveled extensively in Latin America, done a doctoral thesis on law in ancient Mexico, and written books about law and Mexico and Panama, Israel was not one of my areas of real interest.

    But, near the end of the summer of 2023, it was hard to avoid interest when hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets against their own government regarding a change in the laws regarding the justice system. This was especially the case when it came out that men and women had said that they would refuse to comply with military deployment if the government went ahead with the determination to denature the Israeli Supreme Court.

    So, I was already paying attention to events in Israel. “Terrorists attacks inflamed the West Bank, masses of Gazans regularly protested at the border fence, and the country was reeling from internal conflict over the judicial coup laws.”

    That I knew. What I didn’t know was that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed – known as MBZ – was also paying attention. And he was talking with Israeli President Isaac Herzog with whom he maintained friendly relations. The situation in Israel needed to be defused MBZ repeatedly conveyed to Herzog. According to reporting in Haaretz, MBZ “even sent a special enjoy to Israel who met with the prime minister. The emir seemed to sense that the area was on the verge of explosion.”

    MBZ also spoke directly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. MBz’s communication with Netanyahu usually followed a standard procedure, but this time, MBZ initiated the call himself a week and a half before October 7. He warned Netanyahu that Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, was “planning a major operation against Israel.” MBZ was concerned that the action would not only lead to bloodshed but would destabilize the entire region.

    Haaretz, citing three foreign senior sources which were familiar with the content of the conversation, revealed its existence for the first time.

    “It’s disclosure is the result of extensive research based on dozens of sources in Israel and worldwide, including very senior officials, as well as records, internal documents and correspondence. [1]

    One of the key figures in this discussion was a close adviser to bin Zayed, a Palestinian wo had emigrated years ago from Gaza to Abu Dhabi and maintained “strong ties in the Strip.” He stressed that the Emirati ruler impressed on Netanyahu that there needed to be a strong preparation for the threat.

    According to the article, the emir stressed to Netanyahu that Sinwar was preparing a major event. “concurrently,, he recommended trying to find an economic solution for the Strip and calming the West Bank to prevent escalation.”

    While Bin Zayed urged Natanuahy to take the situation seriously, to his surprise, Netanuahy reacted with relative calm. Netanyahu told Bin Zayed that Hamas intended to operate in the West Bank area and that Israel was prepared for any scenario.

    MBZ would later recount the conversation and the warnings he relayed to Netanyahu to CIA Director William J. Burns. MBZ shared with Burns his sense that as he tried to convey to Netanyahu that something was about to explode in Gaza, Netanyahu believed the volatile area was in the West Bank.

    The emir hoped that nevertheless, Netanyahu would take action. But, according to Haaretz, “none of them imagined that the prime minister would hear the message but wouldn’t brief the heads of the defense establishment. The head of the Shin Bet, the head of the Mossad, the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff – none of them knew about bin Zayed’s warning (Eldar, 9/8/26).

    For months before Netanyahu had been conducting talks with Hamas about a temporary truce aimed at a long-term arrangement for Gaza. Negotiations were being conducted about lifting of the blockade on Gaza, increasing shipments of food and raw materials, establishing a trade zone along the Strip’s border which would provide thousands of jobs. The Egyptians were willing to allow Palestinians to have safe passage to the airport in Sharm el-Sheikh, and there was a proposal to supply them natural gas.

    By the summer of 2023 it seemed the economic matters had been solved and negotiations over prisoners were going well. The participants were optimistic. Then, things slowed down. There was speculation that Netanyahu was afraid of reaching an agreement with Hamas, or that he feared his extremist partners in his new government, or he feared that the agreement would leak to the media. Whatever, negotiations stalled for weeks and weeks.

    Hamas head Sinwar was displeased. Those involved in the talks tried to reassure him that Netanyahu was distracted by the protests over the judicial overhaul. Amid this turmoil, the perception grew among Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah that Israel was weakened and that the three together could defeat it. Senior Hamas officials tried to convince Iran to finance the attack.

    Then, in early September 2023, Sinwar vanished from the negotiations. Thus the channel of contact between Shin Bet and Hamas, managed under Netanyahu’s approval, was cut off.

    Then, Sinwar met with one of the participants referred to as “Coal Eyes.” “Tell the Israelis,” Sinwar said “that if they don’t make progress, I’m preparing a huge surprise for them.” Sinwar was using language that implied war. Coal Eyes was afraid to tell Shin Bet, but also afraid not to tell them for fear they would think he was part of the Hamas effort. In yet another meeting between Sinwar and Coal Eyes, Sinwar made it plain that he wanted the Israelis informed of his threat word for word. Still, nothing happened.

    Meanwhile, the Emirati ruler decided to hold a conversation with Netanyahu himself. In a 45-minute conversation he conveyed an explicit warning about Sinwar’s intentions. A similar call came from the Egyptians about “a terrifying operation.” But Netanyahu told the Egyptians that Israel was in control in Gaza. It was the West Bank that was the problem and it was the West Bank where they were diverting forces.”

    Neither call was passed along to a coordinating meeting about the situation.

    After direct warnings from Sinwar about an attack on Israel, and no response from Israel, the Emirati decided to hold a 45-minute conversation with the Prime Minister himself. A similar call was made by the Egyptian intelligence chief, Gen. Abbas Kamel, who warned Netanyahu of “something unusual, a terrifying operation” about to be launched by Hamas. Netanuahy, reportedly told Kamen that Israel was “in the picture” in Gaza, that the problem was the West Bank where they (the Israelis) were diverting forces.

    On October 1 the head of the Shin Bet recommended targeting senior Hamas officials, including Sinwar. Netanyahu replied using a standard refrain that bought him time: “Prepare plans for me and I will consider them.” Throughout the meeting the Prime Minister did not mention the calls he had received.

    One senior Shin Bet official was quoted as regretting not knowing about the calls. “Perhaps it could also have clarified what was behind his sudden withdrawal from the talks in early September.” It could “have changed out entire assessment picture.”

    CHAPTER: ISRAEL

    BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Eldar, Shlomi (9/8/26) “Revealed: Netanyahu received an explicit warning days before October 7. He didn’t brief Israel’s security chiefs.” Haaretz.

    [1] The research was conducted for the new book “Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment, Kinneret Zmora publishing, In Hebrew by the authors of this article).

  • NEWS SHORTS, ISRAEL

    Sunday 13 September 2026

    NEWS SHORTS

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

    · Federal Court rules there is no constitutional right to safe drinking water (Capital B, 9/13/26).

    · Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia (AP, 9/13/26).

    · Yemen hits back against Houthis as Saudi shutdown limits oil flow (NBC, 9/13/26).

    · Saudi Arabia has few options as it faces mounting threats from Iran and its allies (AP, 9/12/26).

    · Saudi’s shut down oil pipeline (9/12/26, Reuters).

    · U.S. doctor treats Ebola’s youngest victims (NPR, 9/10/26). In the Democatic Republic of the Congo there are at least 6,800 confirmed cases and more than 3,300 deaths since May. For this particular strain there is no approved antiviral medication or vaccine.

    · Vance is pitching himself as Trump’s political heir at Republican midterm fund raiser (The Guardian, 9/12/26).

    ISRAEL

    There is outrage about the Haaretz reporting that Netanyahu was warned about the October7attacks (The Observer, 9/13/26).

    · Families of former hostages are outraged about the information that Netanyahu was warned ten days before massacre. One family member affected compared it to an earthquake.

    · While some think this could defeat Netanyahu at the polls next month, there is no hope that his opponents will end occupation in the West Bank (the UK announced sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank where attacks are becoming more frequent).

    · However, after the Haaretz story broke, the opposition announced that the first thing it would do is establish an independent commission of inquiry into security failures. Netanyahu has resisted public demands for an inquiry.

    · Netanyahu has threatened to sue Haaretz and calls the story a “wicked fabrication.”

    · This month marks Netanyahu’s 19th year in office. He is Israeli’s longest-serving prime minister.

    · Netanyahu views himself as fighting the security services, which he sees as trying to bring him down.

  • Saturday 12 September 2026

    CLINTON

    Good for Hillary Clinton, talking about the government lying about the air quality after 9/11. She’s on Morning Joe. Who was responsible for that? Giuliani? Good grief, what a pleasure it is to hear somebody talk who sounds like they know what they are talking about. She could have been president.

    CUBA

    The Washington Examiner (9/8/26) is advocating the “extraction method” (what the U.S. did to Maduro) for Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega. The reporter makes an absurd case to support the legality of a blatantly illegal and unconstitutional act. But, these people live in another world.

    The U.S. has announced a new round of sanctions scheduled to take effect against Cuba, already suffering from a devastated economy due to U. S. action (Al Jazeera Staff, 9/4/26). Sec. of State Marco Rubio (read future Cubana Viceroy) criticizes Cuba’s “failed state” where “ordinary Cubans go hungry” after months of prior sanctions. He also accuses Cuba of seeking to “export subversive Marxist ideology” to the United States. There are probably not 100 people in the entire of the United States who could accurately tell you what Marxism is. This is after Cuba, in an attempt to blunt the effects of the sanctions passed the biggest free-market reforms in decades and also conducting prisoner releases as a “humanitarian and sovereign gesture.” The High Commissioner for human rights at the UN has called for the end of the U.S. sanctions. “This is unacceptable.” He said. “Children are dying because docto5s lack access to essential medical supplies and medicines.”

    The Cuban government reports that the US. Embargo has cost the economy $8 billion between March 2025 and February 2026, “the highest figure yet recorded and seven percent more than in the previous reporting period” (Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters, 9/7/26). Foreign Minister Bruno Rodrigez described the embargo as “genocidal.” He discussed the hardships of citizens who had only a few hours of electricity a day. Rodriguez called the situation “collective punishment.”

    SPAIN

    After several years of going nowhere, we have booked a cruise along the coast of Spain and Portugal. Needless to say, we are excited. I have just finished Cambridge University Press’ “A Concise History of Spain,” which I must confess was a hard read. And, now, I have the Cambridge version of “A Concise History of Portugal” to go. I hope it is easier to get down.

    Away from history and into current events, I just found a podcast called “Spain Today News 10” which was filled with interesting information about Spain’s criminal justice system (remember I’m a criminologist) and what seems to be a lot of high level corruption.

    For an utterly delicious video about a road trip through Andalusia and southern Spain, try UTube’s “The Best of Andalusia: Epic 2 Week RoadTrip” by Eat See TV (9/10/26) Really, this video made my mouth water and made me want to simply eat my way through Spain.

    Since our trip is planned, I’m going to add Spain and Portugal to my life of topics. I hope it is enjoyed.

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

  • NETANYAHU KNEW

    Friday 11 September 2026

    Continuation of:

    Eldar, Shlomi (9/8/26) “Revealed: Netanyahu received an explicit warning days before October 7. He didn’t brief Israel’s security chiefs.” Haaretz.

    After direct warnings from Sinwar about an attack on Israel, and no response from Israel, the Emirati decided to hold a 45-minute conversation with the Prime Minister himself. A similar call was made by the Egyptian intelligence chief, Gen. Abbas Kamel, who warned Netanyahu of “something unusual, a terrifying operation” about to be launched by Hamas. Netanuahy, reportedly told Kamen that Israel was “in the picture” in Gaza, that the problem was the West Bank where they (the Israelis) were diverting forces.

    On October 1 the head of the Shin Bet recommended targeting senior Hamas officials, including Sinwar. Netanyahu replied using a standard refrain that bought him time: “Prepare plans for me and I will consider them.” Throughout the meeting the Prime Minister did not mention the calls he had received.

    One senior Shin Bet official was quoted as regretting not knowing about the calls. “Perhaps it could also have clarified what was behind his sudden withdrawal from the talks in early September.” It could “have changed out entire assessment picture.”

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES WRITTEN BY AN OVER-EDUCATED, CAT LADY (ACCORDING TO J. D. F…ING VANCE) BEAVERING AWAY IN ONE OF THE SUB-BASEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY OF SNARK

  • NETANYAHU KNEW

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES FROM AN OVEREDUCATED, CHILDLESS OLD CAT LADY, BEAVERING AWAY IN ONE OF THE SUB-BASEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY OF SNARK

    Tuesday 8 September 2026

    The most important new story of the day, according to my opinion, is that Benjamin Netanyahu was given explicit advanced warning of an attack on October 7. Not only did he refrain from doing anything about it. He failed to notify his military and others high up in his cabinet that an attack was coming (Eldar, 9/8/26).

    The Middle East is not usually my locus of interest when it comes to international affairs. Having traveled extensively in Latin America, done a doctoral thesis on law in ancient Mexico, and written books about law and Mexico and Panama, Israel was not one of my areas of real interest.

    But, near the end of the summer of 2023, it was hard to avoid interest when hundreds of thousands of Israelis had taken to the streets against their own government regarding a change in the laws regarding the justice system. This was especially the case when it came out that men and women had said that they would refuse to comply with military deployment if the government went ahead with the determination to denature the Israeli Supreme Court.

    So, I was paying attention to events in Israel. “Terrorists attacks inflamed the West Bank, masses of Gazans regularly protested at the border fence, and the country was reeling from internal conflict over the judicial coup laws.”

    UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed – known as MBZ – was also paying attention. And he was talking with Israeli President Isaac Herzog with whom he maintained friendly relations. The situation needed to be defused MBZ repeatedly conveyed to Herzog. “He even sent a special enjoy to Israel who met with the prime minister. The emir seemed to sense that the area was on the verge of explosion.”

    MBZ also spoke directly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. MBz’s calls usually followed a standard procedure, but this time, MBZ initiated the call himself a week and a half before October 7. He warned Netanyahu that Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, was “planning a major operation against Israel.” He was concerned that the action would not only lead to bloodshed but would destabilize the entire region.

    Haaretz, citing three foreign senior sources which are familiar with the content of the conversation, reveal its existence for the first time.

    “It’s disclosure is the result of extensive research based o dozens of sources in Israel and worldwide, including very senior officials, as well as records, internal documents and correspondence. [1]

    One of the key figures in this discussion was a close adviser to bin Zayed, a Palestinian wo had emigrated years ago from Gaza to Abu Dhabi and maintained “strong ties in the Strip.” He stressed that the Emirati ruler impressed on Netanyahu that there needed to be a strong preparation for the threat.

    According to the article, the emir stressed that Sinwar was preparing a major event. “cocurently,, he recommended trying to find an exonomic solution for the Strip and calming the West Bank to prevent escalation.”

    While Bin Zayed urged Natanuahy to take the situation seriously, to his surprise, Netanuahy reacted with relative calm. He told Bin Zayed that Hamas intended to operate in the West Bank area and that Israel was prepared for any scenario.

    MBZ would later recount the conversation and the warnings he relayed to Netanyahu to CIA Director William J. Burns. He (MBZ) shared with Burns his sense that as he tried to convey to Netanuahy that something was about to explode in Gaza, Netanyahu believed the volatile area was in the West Bank.

    The emir hoped that nevertheless, Netanyahu would take action. “none of them imagined that the prime minister would hear the message but wouldn’t brief the heads of the defense establishment. The head of the Shin Bet, the head of the Mossad, the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff – none of them knew about bin Zayed’s warning (Eldar, 9/8/26).

    For months Netanyahu had been conducting talks with Hamas about a temporary truce aimed at a long-term arrangement. Negotiations were being conducted over a lifting of the blockade on Gaza, increasing shipments of food and raw materials, establishing a trade zone along the Strip’s border which would provide thousands of jobs. The Egyptians were willing to allow Palestinians to have safe passage to the airport in Sharm el-Sheikh, and there was a proposal to supply them natural gas.

    In the summer of 2023 it seemed the economic matters had been solved and negotiations over prisoners were going well. The participants were optimistic. Then, things slowed down. There was speculation that Netanyahu was afraid of reaching an agreement with Hamas, or that he feared his extremist partners in his new government, or that the agreement would leak to the media. And, so negotiations stalled for weeks and weeks.

    Hamas head Sinwar was displeased. Those involved in the talks tried to reassure him that Netanyahu was distracted by the protests over the judicial overhaul. Amid this turmoil, the perception grew among Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah that Israel was weakened and that the three together could defeat it. Senior Hamas officials tried to convince Iran to finance the attack.

    Then, in early September 2023, Sinwar vanished from the negotiations. Thus the channel of contact between Shin Bet and Hamas, managed under Netanyahu’s approval, was cut off. Then, Sinwar met with one of the participants. “Tell the Israelis that if they don’t make progress, I’m preparing a huge surprise for them,” he told the man using language that implied war. The participant was afraid to tell Shin Bet, but also afraid not to tell them for fear they would think he was part of the Hamas effort. In yet another meeting with Sinwar, he made it plain that he wanted the Israelis informed of his threat word for word. Still, nothing happened.

    The Emirati ruler decided to hold a conversation with Netanyahu himself. In a 45-minute conversation he conveyed an explicit warning about Sinwar’s intentions. A similar call came from the Egyptians about “a terrifying operation.” But Netanyahu told the Egyptians that they were in control in Gaza. It was the West Bank that was the problem and where they were diverting forces.” Neither call was passed along to a coordinating meeting about the situation.

    BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Eldar, Shlomi (9/8/26) “Revealed: Netanyahu received an explicit warning days before October 7. He didn’t brief Israel’s security chiefs.” Haaretz.

    CHAPTER: ISRAEL

    [1] The research was conducted for the new book “Hostages: 843 Days of Abandonment, Kinneret Zmora publishing, In Hebrew by the authors of this article).

  • NEWS NOTES WORTH READING

    MONDAY 7 SEPTEMER 2026

    UKRAINE

    “Nobody will win.” Zelensky adviser warns of mutual destruction if war with Russia continues. The Guardian.

    Ukraine war briefing: Zelensky links Russian strikes on Kyiv airports to US envoys’ visit. The Guardian.

    Ukrainian intel agencies in Kyiv firefight: What happened and why? Aljazeera

    How Ukraine created would-leading prostheses amid the chaos of war. New Scientist

    Ukraine war briefing: Zelensky calls air true as Kushner and Witkoff head for Kyiv via Moscow. The Guardian.

    How escalating attacks are upending daily life in Kyiv.

    Ukraine takes the war to Russia’s space programme in tactical shift. Aljazeera.

    TRUMP

    “Why Trump wants you to think all dissent is a ‘conspiracy.’ Mother Jones.

    Trump says will ask Europeans to repay US for aiding Ukraine. AFP.

    Trump again seeks to remove protections for wolves. AFP

    The Pa. measles fight has come into churches… The Washington Post.

    Pentagon polygraphs dozens of us military staff over media leaks. Aljazeera.

    Why is Donald Trump picking a fight with Canada? The New Yorker.

    The price America pays for Trump’s reliance on Kushner the closer. Newsweek

    ART

    “Matise’s ugliest painting. The New Yorker.

    “The art of getting lost in Minnie Evans.” The New Yorker.

    Rembrandt homecoming reopens 80-year-old art feud. The Sunday Times.

    In Pictures: The tender affection of Renoir’s romantic paintings. All about History.

    ISRAEL

    Netanyahu accused of slow response to 7 October attack. The New Arab.

    US rejects Israeli suggestions of removing Palestinians from Gaza. Aljazeera.

    Israel emptying West Bank refugee camps could be crime. AFP.

    Netanyahu partners renew calls for removal of Gazans as Israeli election nears. Reuters.

    As election focus shifts to October 7, Netanyahu pivots to conspiracy theories. Haaretz.

    The question Israelis refuse to ask: What has Netanyahu done to our conscience. Haaretz.

    Eight Arab, Muslim countries condemn Israeli ministers. Haaretz.

    The violent Israeli nomads who defy law and order in the name of God. Wall Street Journal.

    Amid merger talks, infighting threatens to unravel Israel’s anti-Netanyahu bloc. Haaretz.

    The Inside story of Israel’s War room after Oct. 7. Wall street Journal.

    Think Bibi is bad? Meet Sara Netanyahu. Haaretz.

    REPUBLICANS

    The GOP senate campaign gone disastrously wrong in Georgia. The Wall Street Journal.

    LAW

    Has the Supreme Court sandbagged democracy. The New Yorker.

    DEMOCRATS

    Destroying the American way of life: El Sayed. Fox News.

    The Democrats want Fetterman on a pike. The Wall Street Journal.

    DSA is using coffee with comrades and socialist softball. The Wall Street Journal.

    Bernie Sanders lets loose on the Democratic Party. Politico.

    Democratic contender Abudel El-Sayed hits back at J. D. Vance. The Guardian.

    RUSSIA

    In the POW camp filled with Africans duped into fighting for Putin. The Sunday Times.

    After CIA director visit to Moscow, Putin pushes harder for military win. The Washington Post.

    Putin’s strategic miscalculations. History of War.

    Russia’s Lavrov calls accusations of Mosco’s involvement in Leipzig drone incident start of read war, Tass reports. Reuters.

    The Island Paradise that is a secret hub for Russian sanctions evasion. The Wall street Jornal.

    Putin says Russia is winning on battlefield, will not negotiate with ‘terrorists.’ Reuters.

    Russia’s jet-powered drones are overwhelming Ukraine’s air defenses. The Washington Post.

    Europe calls out Russia’s hybrid war in public. But how can it make Putin pay? The Guardian.

    Russians skewer authorities for ordering citizens to register their chickens. Euronews.

    TECHNOLOGY

    Open AI wants to talk about the federalist papers. The Atlantic.

    Jaw-dropping scale of Putin’s humiliating crisis was revealed. Daily Beast.

    CUBA

    Cuban and Afghan immigrants deported from US under Trump arrive in Guyana. Aljazeera.

    Judge overturns Trump’s visa ban for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and many Caribbean nations. The News and Observer.

    Then and now: Photos show how Cuba went from a 1950s tourist destination to a country plagued by blackouts. Business Insider.

    ICE deports Kendall man feds say spent years spying on Cubans in Miami for Havana. Miami Herald.

    Cuba’s crisis was created by its own socialist politicians, not Trump’s blockade. New York Post.

    Cuba’s Raul Castro reappears in public, dispelling rumors about his health. Miami Herald.

    Deception and Bloody Marys: How a Cuban spy in Miami became devoted to anti-Castro militant.

    OTHER

    Trump and Rubio’s bold Venezuela oil pact could finally crush communism’s grip.

    Tuesday 8 September 2026

    RUSSIA

    Kremlin says it does not rule out restart of peace talks with Ukraine and US. Reuters.

    Putin embarrassed on battlefield as troops trapped. Daily Beast.

    Russia to strip contract soldiers o one off payment… Reuters.

    ISRAEL

    The settlement golem has turned on its creators. Haaretz.

    Palestine weekly: Israeli ministers push for depopulation of Gaza. Aljazeera.

    Ousting Netanyahu won’t fix the U.S. – Israel relationship. Haaretz.

    Can Gadi Eisenkot beat Benjamin Netanyahu? Sky News

    Netanyahu received an explicit warning days before Oct. 7. Haaretz

    Netanyahu orders dismantlement of West Bank settler outposts. Washington Examiner

    Eisenkot widens lead over Netanahu… Haaretz.

    MIDDLE EAST

    The domestic armed threat facing Iran. Aljazeera.

    How much is the Iran war costing americans. The New Yorker.

    Iran-backed Houthis attack Saudi…Reuters.

    UKRAINE

    Witkoff hails meaningful discussions… ABC News.

    Russia hits Kyiv after pause… Reuters.

    Russian strikes continue following visit…Fox News.

    Nobody will win. Zelensky adviser warns… The Guardian.

    The dead haunted me: How Kyiv helped a Russian soldier to defect. The Sunday Times.

    Ukraine war briefing. The Guardian

    THE RIGHT

    Trumpism’s shadow looms over German election… Los Angeles Times.

    Why one state election could rattle modern Germany. Christian Science Monitor.

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

  • Thursday

    Thursday 3 September 2026

    LIFE NOTES

    It is horribly muggy outside, muggy and hot. There’s a mist over the marsh but you can still see the travelers (that’s what I’ve taken to calling them) across the marsh, headlights passing by.

    Errol Flynn is hunkered down on top of the piano looking out over the back yard, the birds, the live oaks and the squirrels. Cool Mustard, our largest orangey, is hunkered down on the daybed with me in the library. That’s the morning array. Other cats are here and there, snoozing after breakfast, waiting for Mike to come downstairs so they can go outside for their morning walk.

    We don’t like to let them out before Mike comes downstair. That way, they don’t pace and pace and work themselves into a frenzy of anticipation. We hope that’s going to keep them from frothing at the mouth waiting to go outside when John is here keeping them while we go to Spain and Portugal.

    Besides, they don’t much like being outside when Mike’s not there. Sometimes, when he comes back inside for some coffee, they will follow him in and wait. They know they are safer when the big dog is outside watching over them.

    SHORT NEWS NOTES

    The dreadful Ken Paxton has been traveling with his girlfriend rather than campaigning in Texas, so the Republicans (some of them) have been essentially telling Trump that he broke this race (by refusing to back Coryn) and so now needs to use his massive war chest to fix it. It is doubtful, however, that Trump will do so. He hates to part with money, especially to benefit somebody else. He’s trying to get the Republicans to pay for it by charging them $25,000 a head to attend this ridiculous mid-term Republican convention which is essentially a little love-in for Trump.

    The B…..d Bassent is on television blaming the Ukrainians for high gas prices. This is likely the new strategy of the Trump administration to try to deflect the blame from themselves for this idiotic war against Iran.

    Hegseth is expanding deployment for servicemen which means that the war will be going on for a while longer, and they will need a way of explaining high gas prices. They have no morals or ethics and will lie in a second. As an example, Trump is claiming that the U.S. is “controlling” the Strait of Hormuz. There has evidently been discussion that Trump could declare “control,” and declare victory and end the war. This may give him some kind of short term gain, but little else.

    The guests on Morning Joe do their normal baffled discussion of why Trump is always backing Putin, such as blaming high gasoline prices on Ukraine. There is no mystery here. Trump is a Russian asset. He has been a Russian asset since the mid-eighties, it’s just that nobody wants to admit it. They somehow feel that it is better to allow Trump, Putin and Russia to destroy the U.S. than to admit that they were so incompetent that they allowed a Russian asset to become president.

    ICE has been operating in Connecticut, back to their old tricks, arresting parents waiting at school bus stops waiting for their children. And, Republicans use the fact that the DSA wants to defund ICE as some crazy plan.

    Gloria Steinham has died. I did not know this, but her first big article was an undercover piece where she pretended to be a Playboy Bunny. She wrote about the long hours and little pay, essentially how these women were being exploited to make money for Hugh Hefner. Barbara Walters wrote a feature on Playboy Bunnies at the same time. She presented the entire affair as charming and funny. Jesus.

    The White House is evidently already preparing for an onslaught of instigations should he Democrats take over the House and Senate. I am not at all sure that this will come about. I cannot see that the Democrats will be any different than they were when Obama was in office (moving forward) and when Biden was in office (not moving at all). The Democrats want to get back to “normal.” They do not want to impeach, investigate, charge. They are afraid, too afraid to uphold justice. This is why the DSA is being so successful.

    Books:

    Stealing Elections, American Style by David Walbert. Never has the federal government been so involved in controlling elections with measures such as gerrymandering, eliminating mail in voting, checking voters’ lists for non-citizens (or people whose names sound like they may not be citizens).

    What is Life Worth? By Kenneth Feinberg. The fund to compensate 9/11 victims.

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

  • Thursday 3 September 2026

    LIFE NOTES

    It is horribly muggy outside, muggy and hot. There’s a mist over the marsh but you can still see the travelers (that’s what I’ve taken to calling them) across the marsh, headlights passing by.

    Errol Flynn is hunkered down on top of the piano looking out over the back yard, the birds, the live oaks and the squirrels. Cool Mustard, our largest orangey, is hunkered down on the daybed with me in the library. That’s the morning array. Other cats are here and there, snoozing after breakfast, waiting for Mike to come downstairs so they can go outside for their morning walk.

    We don’t like to let them out before Mike comes downstair. That way, they don’t pace and pace and work themselves into a frenzy of anticipation. We hope that’s going to keep them from frothing at the mouth waiting to go outside when John is here keeping them while we go to Spain and Portugal.

    Besides, they don’t much like being outside when Mike’s not there. Sometimes, when he comes back inside for some coffee, they will follow him in and wait. They know they are safer when the big dog is outside watching over them.

    SHORT NEWS NOTES

    The dreadful Ken Paxton has been traveling with his girlfriend rather than campaigning in Texas, so the Republicans (some of them) have been essentially telling Trump that he broke this race (by refusing to back Coryn) and so now needs to use his massive war chest to fix it. It is doubtful, however, that Trump will do so. He hates to part with money, especially to benefit somebody else. He’s trying to get the Republicans to pay for it by charging them $25,000 a head to attend this ridiculous mid-term Republican convention which is essentially a little love-in for Trump.

    The B…..d Bassent is on television blaming the Ukrainians for high gas prices. This is likely the new strategy of the Trump administration to try to deflect the blame from themselves for this idiotic war against Iran.

    Hegseth is expanding deployment for servicemen which means that the war will be going on for a while longer, and they will need a way of explaining high gas prices. They have no morals or ethics and will lie in a second. As an example, Trump is claiming that the U.S. is “controlling” the Strait of Hormuz. There has evidently been discussion that Trump could declare “control,” and declare victory and end the war. This may give him some kind of short term gain, but little else.

    The guests on Morning Joe do their normal baffled discussion of why Trump is always backing Putin, such as blaming high gasoline prices on Ukraine. There is no mystery here. Trump is a Russian asset. He has been a Russian asset since the mid-eighties, it’s just that nobody wants to admit it. They somehow feel that it is better to allow Trump, Putin and Russia to destroy the U.S. than to admit that they were so incompetent that they allowed a Russian asset to become president.

    ICE has been operating in Connecticut, back to their old tricks, arresting parents waiting at school bus stops waiting for their children. And, Republicans use the fact that the DSA wants to defund ICE as some crazy plan.

    Gloria Steinham has died. I did not know this, but her first big article was an undercover piece where she pretended to be a Playboy Bunny. She wrote about the long hours and little pay, essentially how these women were being exploited to make money for Hugh Hefner. Barbara Walters wrote a feature on Playboy Bunnies at the same time. She presented the entire affair as charming and funny. Jesus.

    The White House is evidently already preparing for an onslaught of instigations should he Democrats take over the House and Senate. I am not at all sure that this will come about. I cannot see that the Democrats will be any different than they were when Obama was in office (moving forward) and when Biden was in office (not moving at all). The Democrats want to get back to “normal.” They do not want to impeach, investigate, charge. They are afraid, too afraid to uphold justice. This is why the DSA is being so successful.

    Books:

    Stealing Elections, American Style by David Walbert. Never has the federal government been so involved in controlling elections with measures such as gerrymandering, eliminating mail in voting, checking voters’ lists for non-citizens (or people whose names sound like they may not be citizens).

    What is Life Worth? By Kenneth Feinberg. The fund to compensate 9/11 victims.

    LIFE AND NEWS NOTES