1, 2 OCTOBER 2026

BOOKS of Interest: Ancient Rome

Powell, Lindsay (2023) Marcus Agrippa: Right-Hand Man of Caesar Augustus.

Harris, Robert (2026) Agrippa: a Novel of Ancient Rome’s Descent into Dictatorship. (Harris is the very best).

Reinhold, Mayer (1933) Marcus Agrippa: A Biography.

2 October 2026

News Shorts

· Failed execution in Tennessee. Christa Pike survived two doses of lethal injection drugs. This is the second failed execution in Tennessee this year. “What happened to Christa Pike Can be attributed to the extreme secrecy Tennessee officials have maintained about their execution procedures, their refusal to answer reasonable questions, and their unwillingness to accept responsibility for their mistakes.” Death Penalty Information Center executive director. (NPR).

· Wilber Garces Perez, the man who was shot in the back by ICE finally gets surgery to remove bullet. He was shot on September 20. “The officer shot Garces Perez, who is a Venezuelan national, was not wearing a body camera…the other officer…had turned off his body camera prior to arriving at the scene.” (Velasquez Neira, Gabriel, “Wilber Garces Perez…” Kut. Org.

· The Department of Homeland Security task force program…enlists local police as paid partners in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.” The program has become a “cash cow for state and local law enforcement…After turning over a single deportable immigrant, departments quality to receive $60,000 a year for each deputized officer, regardless of additional arrests.” (Wall Street Journal).

· “For nearly 50 years, the federal government has said people with disabilities should live, work, and learn in the most integrated setting possible rather than be segregated in institutions like nursing homes.” Now, the Trump administration has changed that position. Texas v. Kennedy originally had the federal government as a defendant with states suing to have “integration” removed from a federal regulation. Now, the Trump administration has switched sides and is now agreeing with the states (NPR, 10/1/26).

· “Lawyers for the family of Renee Good…invoked an 1871 law meant to fight the terror of the KKK as they filed two civil lawsuits seeking accountability for Good’s killing…” (10/1/26, MPR News).

· Confirmed measles cases in Pennsylvania have reached 943 this year, the largest outbreak in three decades. A fifth person has died although health officials will not release details. The person was unvaccinated. Two counties have released measles-associated deaths involving an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old. Two deaths in Lancaster county have been confirmed of infants in the Amish community (9/30/26, The Philadelphia Inquirer).

· Ohhhhhhh, I can’t take any more of this. What a dismal news day.

Excerpt from Craig Unger’s “Den of Spies.”

Right before the Iran hostage crisis, the CIA was going through a time in which its secrets were being exposed – assassination attempts, illegal wiretaps, human experimentation, spying for Richard Nixon and more. There had been coup d’etats in Syria, in Iran in Guatemala and in the Congo, the Dominican Republic and in South Vietnam, Brazil and Chile. Congress began to rein in the power of the intelligence community. Carter appointed Stansfield Turner as CIA director. Turner purged 820 CIA operatives, in 1979 another 250 people put in for retirement. When the hostage crisis began, the “intelligence community, much of which had already been deeply alienated, was appalled by Carter’s fumbling efforts in Iran.” (17-19)

(Note: For more information, see Joe Trento’s “Prelude to Terror: The Rogue CIA and the Legacy of America’s Private Intelligence Network.”)

LIFE AND NEWS NOTES

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)

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).

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).

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 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